plate no. 4199

Sir Robert Liston, Diplomat

oilRomanticismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacebackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in creating depth and form through subtle value changes and brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the face, using a limited palette.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and background, using loose brushstrokes.
step 06
Blend and soften edges where necessary to create a sense of realism.
step 07
Add highlights to the hair and skin to create a sense of luminosity.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to achieve a harmonious composition.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, raw sienna, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Use ivory black and burnt umber for the dark clothing and background, adding white for highlights.

techniques