plate no. 8141

Self Portrait

lithographyRomanticismself-portraitfigureportraitwomanhatclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in rendering form through value and understanding the use of hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and texture. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and expression.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the overall composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the portrait, such as the hair and shadows under the hat.
step 03
Use hatching and cross-hatching to build up the mid-tones, gradually adding layers to create depth.
step 04
Pay close attention to the direction of the hatching lines to convey the form of the face and clothing.
step 05
Soften edges where necessary to create a sense of volume and realism.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using fine lines and subtle shading.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to enhance the contrast and create a sense of light.
step 08
Add final details to the clothing and background to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · graphite · white

secondary · none

This is a monochrome drawing, so the focus is on achieving a range of values using graphite or charcoal. Vary pressure and layering to create different shades.

techniques

·hatching
·cross-hatching
·blending
·value shading
·contour drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the freshness of the initial sketch.
→Creating overly harsh lines that lack subtlety.
→Failing to establish a clear range of values, resulting in a flat or muddy drawing.
→Ignoring the direction of the hatching lines, which can flatten the form.