plate no. 0626

Self-portrait

oil, fiberboard, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitmanclothingfacehairbeard

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle blending of skin tones. It also provides practice in rendering textures of clothing and hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and clothing using a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Begin layering in skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Carefully blend the edges of the skin tones to create smooth transitions.
step 05
Paint the hair, paying attention to the direction of the strands and the way light hits it.
step 06
Render the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures.
step 07
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final touches.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use burnt umber and black for shadows. Add a touch of blue to darken shadows further.

techniques