plate no. 2436

Standing Man

engraving, paperRococoportraitfiguremanclothinggardenhatportrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this engraving will help students develop skills in line work, cross-hatching, and creating tonal variations using only black and white. It also provides practice in rendering complex details in clothing and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Outline the main shapes: the figure, the fountain, and the background foliage.
step 03
Begin adding details to the figure's clothing, using fine lines to indicate folds and textures.
step 04
Use cross-hatching to create darker areas and shadows on the figure and clothing.
step 05
Add details to the fountain and surrounding foliage, using varying line weights and densities.
step 06
Refine the linework, adding more detail and depth to the composition.
step 07
Use stippling to create texture and subtle tonal variations in the background.
step 08
Add final touches and corrections to complete the engraving.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary ·

This is a monochrome image, so the focus is on creating variations in tone using different densities of black lines.

techniques

·Cross-hatching
·Line weight variation
·Stippling
·Hatching
·Contour drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the linework, resulting in a muddy or unclear image.
→Failing to create sufficient tonal variation, resulting in a flat or lifeless image.
→Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch, leading to problems later on.
→Inconsistent line weight, making the image look amateurish.

materials

surface · Smooth drawing paper

required

·Smooth drawing paper
·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
·Eraser
·Ruler
·Fine-tipped drawing pens (various sizes)
·Sharpener

optional

·Tracing paper
·Magnifying glass
·Drafting tape

Use a variety of pen sizes to create different line weights. Practice cross-hatching and stippling on scrap paper before applying them to the final drawing.

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

related guides

how to learn by studying the masters →

chat about this artwork

in this vein