plate no. 2076

Self-portrait

Alexandre Jacovleff, 1917

oilNeoclassicismself-portraitself-portraitartistinteriorpaintingsfigurestudio

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding composition and creating depth in a complex scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Establish the background by blocking in the large areas of color, such as the wall, paintings, and furniture.
step 03
Begin working on the artist's figure, starting with the overall shape and gradually adding details and shading.
step 04
Focus on capturing the likeness of the artist's face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Render the clothing and hands, paying attention to the folds and wrinkles in the fabric.
step 06
Add details to the foreground, such as the easel, brushes, and painting.
step 07
Refine the overall composition and add any final touches, such as highlights and shadows.
step 08
Let dry and varnish.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix various shades of gray and blue for the shirt. Use yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white for skin tones, adding small amounts of red for warmth. Mix greens from blue and yellow.

techniques