plate no. 5755

Self-portrait

oilNorthern Renaissanceself-portraitportraitmalefigureruffbeardhat

experienced study

Recreating this portrait will help students practice detailed rendering of facial features, capturing subtle skin tones, and creating the illusion of texture in clothing and hair. It will also help with understanding light and shadow to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and hat, paying attention to proportions and angles.
step 02
Lightly map out the major areas of light and shadow on the face and clothing.
step 03
Begin blocking in the background with a dark blue-purple mix, adding subtle variations in tone.
step 04
Start building up the skin tones with thin layers of paint, focusing on the highlights and shadows to define the form.
step 05
Carefully render the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Paint the beard and hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and dimension.
step 07
Render the ruff with careful attention to the folds and highlights, using a combination of light and dark tones.
step 08
Add the details of the clothing and hat, paying attention to the textures and patterns.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · gold

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Darken areas with ivory black and raw umber. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black for the background.

techniques