plate no. 1759

Self Portrait

oilHigh Renaissanceself-portraitportraitfigurebeardhatmanface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering soft, diffused light and shadow. It's also a good exercise in mixing subtle skin tones and creating a sense of depth through layering.

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 head, hat, and beard.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral color.
step 03
Begin layering in the darker values, focusing on the shadows under the hat, around the face, and in the beard.
step 04
Gradually build up the mid-tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
step 05
Add the highlights, using thin layers of lighter paint to create a sense of luminosity.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Work on the texture of the beard, using small, broken brushstrokes to suggest individual hairs.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and convincing portrait.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and titanium white. Use yellow ochre for warmth and ivory black to deepen shadows. Mix thin glazes for subtle color shifts.

techniques