plate no. 1566

Self-Portrait

oilRomanticismself-portraitportraitmalebeardfacehairclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in hatching, cross-hatching, and rendering form using value. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and creating texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition and proportions.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the portrait using a fine-tipped pen or pencil.
step 03
Begin building up value with hatching and cross-hatching, focusing on the contours of the face and hair.
step 04
Pay close attention to the direction of the lines to convey form and texture.
step 05
Add finer details such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Refine the values and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Work on the background using similar techniques to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary · gray

Varying the density and layering of black ink or graphite will create the different shades of gray.

techniques

·Hatching
·Cross-hatching
·Value shading
·Line weight variation
·Rendering texture

common pitfalls

→Applying too much pressure, resulting in dark, muddy areas.
→Not varying the direction of the lines, resulting in a flat, lifeless image.
→Ignoring the underlying structure of the face, resulting in inaccurate proportions.
→Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff, unnatural appearance.

materials

surface · smooth drawing paper

required

·Smooth drawing paper
·HB pencil
·2B pencil
·Fine-tipped pen (optional)
·Eraser
·Ruler
·Sharpener

optional

·Blending stump
·Kneaded eraser
·Magnifying glass

Use a good quality paper that can withstand multiple layers of hatching and cross-hatching. A variety of pencils or pens with different line weights will be helpful for creating depth and dimension.

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