plate no. 2365

Self Portrait

oilRococoself-portraitportraitfiguremanpalettebrushesclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portrait painting, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering subtle skin tones. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through value and color variations.

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, focusing on the head, shoulders, and palette.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone, creating a soft gradient from dark to light.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with a mid-tone flesh color, paying attention to the planes of the face.
step 04
Begin to build up the shadows and highlights on the face, using subtle color variations to create form.
step 05
Paint the clothing with a dark, solid color, adding subtle highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Render the palette and brushes, paying attention to the colors and textures.
step 07
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to the entire painting to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix various shades of flesh tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Achieve the dark background and clothing tones by mixing black and burnt umber.

techniques