plate no. 3616

Self-portrait with mustache

Jan Mankes, 1915

oilSymbolismself-portraitportraitmanfacehairmustacheclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in hatching and cross-hatching to create form and value, as well as understanding subtle tonal variations within a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and facial features.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and clothing with dense hatching.
step 03
Begin building up the mid-tones on the face using lighter hatching, following the contours of the features.
step 04
Use cross-hatching to deepen shadows and define the form of the nose, eyes, and mouth.
step 05
Pay close attention to the direction of the hatching lines to convey the form of the hair.
step 06
Refine the details of the eyes and mouth to capture the likeness of the subject.
step 07
Add subtle highlights by leaving areas of the paper untouched or using very light hatching.
step 08
Evaluate the overall tonal balance and make any necessary adjustments to the hatching.

color palette

primary · sepia · ivory black

secondary · raw umber · cream

Achieve the various tones by diluting the sepia or ivory black with water or mixing with small amounts of raw umber or cream to create lighter shades.

techniques