plate no. 9971

William Smith and His Grandson

oilRococoportraitportraitfigurebuildingbookstablelandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering realistic textures in clothing and objects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the composition, focusing on accurate proportions of the figures and placement of key elements.
step 02
Block in the background, starting with the sky and then the building and trees, using thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones for the figures, paying attention to the light source and shadows.
step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to refine the skin tones, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and textures of the fabric.
step 06
Render the details of the table, books, and other objects, paying attention to their shapes and colors.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the facial features, hair, and small objects, to bring the painting to life.
step 08
Glaze and varnish (if using oils) to unify the colors and protect the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of blue. Vary the proportions to create highlights and shadows. Use raw umber and white for the clothing and background elements.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·blending
·layering
·rendering textures

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
→Lack of depth and dimension in the background.
→Ignoring the light source and shadows.
→Getting lost in details too early.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Palette knife
·Easel