plate no. 9026

Vincent van Gogh

oil, canvasImpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingbeardhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and hand, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, neutral color.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and hair using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Begin to refine the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add details to the beard and hair, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Develop the clothing, using darker values to create depth and form.
step 07
Refine the hand and the object held in it.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining burnt umber, raw sienna, ivory black, and titanium white. Use small amounts of cadmium red and yellow ochre to add warmth to the skin tones.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·value study
·limited palette
·broken brushstrokes
·blending

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Using too much color and losing the subtle value relationships.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Not creating enough contrast between the subject and the background.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red, yellow ochre)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits