plate no. 2193

Self Portrait

oilMannerism (Late Renaissance)self-portraitportraitfiguremanbeardhathead

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using chiaroscuro.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the proportions and placement of the head, hat, and beard.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the dark background and the overall tones of the face and hat.
step 03
Start building up the form of the face with layers of light and shadow, paying attention to the subtle transitions in value.
step 04
Add details to the beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture and definition.
step 05
Refine the features of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 06
Work on the hat, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a harmonious and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, sienna, and a touch of red. Use umber and black for the dark areas, and add white to create highlights. Mix red with a touch of umber for the hat's shadows.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·dry brushing
·portraiture
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong foundation of values.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unnatural.
→Not paying enough attention to the proportions of the face.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 12x16
·Oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium red, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·Assorted round and flat brushes
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife