plate no. 7759

William Charles Macready

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingheadwearhistorical

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It also provides practice in creating depth and form using chiaroscuro.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, paying attention to the head and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: the skin tones, the red headwear, and the clothing.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones, focusing on the highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Work on the details of the headwear, paying attention to the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Develop the clothing, using loose brushstrokes to suggest the textures and patterns.
step 07
Add the small details, such as the jewelry and the facial features.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw sienna, and a touch of red. Darken shadows with burnt umber and black. Create the red headwear by mixing cadmium red with burnt umber for darker shades.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to create enough contrast between the highlights and shadows.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the fabric.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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