plate no. 2034

Self-Portrait

Carl Haag, 1900

oil, canvasRealismself-portraitportraitmanbeardmedalsclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones. It also provides practice in painting textures, such as the beard and clothing.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of features.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, such as the background, skin tones, beard, and clothing.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 04
Add details to the beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and shadows.
step 06
Carefully render the medals, paying attention to their intricate details and reflective surfaces.
step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and value to create depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

secondary · cadmium yellow · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, raw umber, burnt sienna, and small amounts of red and blue. The background is a blend of raw umber and burnt sienna. The beard is primarily white with subtle shadows created using raw umber and ivory black.

techniques