plate no. 3738

Sir William Meff, Lord Provost of Aberdeen

William Orpen, 1925

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurerobefurjewelryred

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting complex textures like fur and velvet.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions.
step 02
Block in the large shapes and areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Develop the background with subtle variations in tone and color.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the robe and fur, using layering and glazing techniques.
step 06
Render the jewelry with accurate color and highlights.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and contrast to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · crimson · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · raw sienna · cadmium yellow

Achieve the red robe color by mixing crimson with burnt umber and a touch of yellow ochre. Skin tones can be created by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, with small amounts of crimson for warmth.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·color layering
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details before establishing the overall value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unrealistic.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in tone and color.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (crimson, burnt umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, ivory black, raw sienna, cadmium yellow)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags