plate no. 2221

Troelstra

Theo van Doesburg, 1910

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingcaricatureface

some experience helpful

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in cross-hatching, value shading, and capturing likeness through expressive lines. It's a good exercise in understanding how to create form and depth using only black and white.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch of the overall head shape and major features (eyes, nose, mouth).
step 02
Refine the sketch, paying attention to the exaggerated proportions of the caricature.
step 03
Start adding darker values in the areas of shadow, using hatching and cross-hatching.
step 04
Build up the values gradually, layering more lines to create darker tones.
step 05
Focus on defining the facial features, using line weight and direction to suggest form.
step 06
Add details to the clothing and background, maintaining a consistent style of hatching.
step 07
Erase any unnecessary sketch lines and refine the overall composition.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary ·

This is a monochrome drawing, so no color mixing is needed. Focus on achieving different values through varying the density and pressure of your pencil strokes.

techniques

·Hatching
·Cross-hatching
·Value shading
·Line weight variation
·Expressive linework

common pitfalls

→Overworking the drawing and losing the spontaneity of the linework.
→Not paying enough attention to the proportions of the caricature.
→Creating muddy or undefined shadows.
→Failing to vary the line weight, resulting in a flat and lifeless drawing.

materials

surface · Smooth drawing paper

required

·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
·Eraser
·Sketchbook or drawing paper
·Pencil sharpener
·Blending stump or tortillon

optional

·Kneaded eraser
·Ruler

Experiment with different grades of graphite pencils to achieve a wider range of values. Use a blending stump or tortillon to smooth out the shading and create softer transitions.

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