plate no. 1057

Self-portrait

oilRococoself-portraitportraitfigureartistpalettechaircanvas

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and objects.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and large shapes.
step 03
Develop the skin tones, using layers of thin paint and subtle color variations.
step 04
Refine the details of the clothing, paying attention to the folds and textures.
step 05
Paint the palette and brushes, capturing the colors and textures.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness of the subject.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a cohesive and balanced painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · viridian · ivory black · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Achieve the muted tones of the clothing by mixing complementary colors.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·color mixing
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the subtle variations.
→Failing to create enough depth and dimension in the clothing.
→Ignoring the importance of accurate color mixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, viridian, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brushes (#6, #8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife