plate no. 5646

Self-Portrait with lace jabot

pastel, canvasRococoself-portraitportraitfiguremanclothinglacewig

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in blending pastel colors for realistic skin tones and rendering fine details like lace and hair. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and expression.

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 clothing.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and clothing with broad strokes of pastel.
step 03
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, focusing on subtle transitions and variations.
step 04
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying close attention to their shape and placement.
step 05
Render the hair and wig, using short, curved strokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, including the lace jabot and the folds of the jacket.
step 07
Blend and soften the edges of the pastel strokes to create a smooth, realistic finish.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.

color palette

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

secondary · rose madder · ivory black · raw sienna · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of rose madder. The blue jacket is a mix of Prussian blue and ivory black, lightened with white. Use ultramarine blue to darken the shadows.

techniques