plate no. 4444

William Chalmers Bethune, his wife Isabella Morison and their Daughter Isabella

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfiguresclothingfamilyhistoricalpeople

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Develop the background with subtle variations in tone and color.
step 04
Begin to refine the features of the faces, paying close attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Work on the clothing, adding details and textures.
step 06
Refine the hands and other details.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the overall effect.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ivory black and raw umber to create dark tones for clothing and shadows. Mix red and umber for the background.

techniques

·portraiture
·blending
·glazing
·value studies
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figures
→Overblending, resulting in a flat appearance
→Getting skin tones muddy
→Ignoring subtle value changes

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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