plate no. 5034

Self-portrait

oilBaroqueself-portraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in color mixing for skin tones and understanding subtle value changes to create form. It will also improve their ability to capture likeness and proportion.

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, shoulders, and collar.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin, even layer of blue.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and collar.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, mouth, and facial hair.
step 06
Add details to the collar and clothing, capturing the folds and textures.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. The blue background is a mix of ultramarine blue and white. Dark clothing is a mix of black and burnt umber.

techniques