plate no. 3158

Self-Portrait

oil, canvasBaroqueself-portraitfigureportraitartistclothingpalettehand

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in value shading and rendering realistic textures using a limited palette. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and creating a sense of depth.

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 figure, paying close attention to the pose and angles.
step 02
Establish the overall value range by applying a thin wash of diluted gray across the canvas.
step 03
Begin blocking in the darkest areas, such as the hair, clothing folds, and background shadows.
step 04
Gradually build up the mid-tones and highlights, focusing on creating smooth transitions between values.
step 05
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, such as the ruff and the folds in the fabric.
step 07
Render the hand holding the palette and brush, paying attention to the anatomy and the way the light falls on the hand.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · Payne's gray

Achieve various shades of gray by mixing black and white in different ratios. Add small amounts of raw umber for warmer tones and Payne's gray for cooler tones.

techniques