plate no. 3845

Self-portrait

oil, canvasAcademicismself-portraitportraitmanbeardclothingfaceself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating texture with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Block in the main shapes with thin washes of mid-tone gray.
step 03
Establish the darkest values in the hair, beard, and clothing.
step 04
Begin building up the lighter values in the face, using soft blending techniques.
step 05
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value.
step 06
Add details to the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Adjust the background, ensuring it complements the figure without distracting from it.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · payne's gray · yellow ochre

Achieve the various shades of gray by mixing black and white in different proportions. Add small amounts of raw umber or yellow ochre to warm up the grays for the skin tones.

techniques