plate no. 9766

The painter of animals

pastelImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingformal wearfacial hair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and using expressive mark-making to create form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow using broad, loose strokes of pastel.
step 03
Begin to refine the facial features, paying attention to the angles and curves of the nose, eyes, and mouth.
step 04
Develop the details of the clothing, focusing on the highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume.
step 05
Add texture to the hair and background using short, broken strokes of pastel.
step 06
Refine the edges of the forms, softening some and sharpening others to create depth.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a harmonious and balanced composition.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the portrait to life.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · flesh tint · white

secondary · red ochre · ultramarine blue · light pink

Mix flesh tones by blending white, red ochre, and a touch of raw umber. Achieve darker values by mixing ivory black with raw umber and a hint of ultramarine blue.

techniques

·hatching
·scumbling
·blending
·layering
·expressive mark-making

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the pastel strokes.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting bogged down in the details of the clothing and background.
→Not paying enough attention to the proportions and angles of the facial features.

materials

surface · pastel paper (toned)

required

·pastel set (various colors)
·pastel paper (toned)
·kneaded eraser
·fixative spray
·soft blending stump
·drawing board
·ruler

optional

·palette knife
·workable fixative

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly rough texture to grip the pastel. A toned paper will help to establish the mid-tones and create a more harmonious composition.

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