PTE · Describe Image

Studies in Portrait Painting: PTE Describe Image practice questions

4 original Describe Image questions. Question 1 is free to record, play back and compare with a sample answer right here; log in free to practise the rest in the BandLadder app.
  • 4 questions
  • Question 1 free, no login
  • PTE Academic and PTE Core
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1

Pigment Selection in Historical Portraiture

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Look at the image below. You have 25 seconds to study it, then 40 seconds to describe in detail what it shows.

Pigment Types in Historical Portraiture (%). Earth Pigments 42, Lead White 24, Mineral Blues 16, Organic Lakes 11, Metallic Powders 7.

Pigment Types in Historical Portraiture (%)
  • Earth Pigments: 42%
  • Lead White: 24%
  • Mineral Blues: 16%
  • Organic Lakes: 11%
  • Metallic Powders: 7%
View the data
CategoryValue (%)
Earth Pigments42
Lead White24
Mineral Blues16
Organic Lakes11
Metallic Powders7

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Questions 2–4

Look at the image below. You have 25 seconds to study it, then 40 seconds to describe in detail what it shows.

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2

Layering Sequence for Oil Portraits

Stages of Layered Oil Portrait Construction. Stage 1: Surface Sizing and Gesso Ground. Stage 2: Imprimatura Tonal Wash Application. Stage 3: Preliminary Carbon Drawing Transfer. Stage 4: Monochrome Dead Colour Underpainting. Stage 5: Local Colour Glazing and Flesh Modelling. Stage 6: Final Scumbles and Highlight Placement.

Stages of Layered Oil Portrait Construction
  1. 1.Surface Sizing and Gesso Ground
  2. 2.Imprimatura Tonal Wash Application
  3. 3.Preliminary Carbon Drawing Transfer
  4. 4.Monochrome Dead Colour Underpainting
  5. 5.Local Colour Glazing and Flesh Modelling
  6. 6.Final Scumbles and Highlight Placement
3

Time Dedicated to Sittings by Era

Average Hours per Portrait Commission (hours). Formal Sittings: 1750 85, 1800 78, 1850 62, 1900 44, 1950 28, 2000 15. Studio Work: 1750 40, 1800 45, 1850 50, 1900 55, 1950 52, 2000 48.

Average Hours per Portrait Commission (hours)
020406080100175018001850190019502000
  • Formal Sittings
  • Studio Work
View the data
175018001850190019502000
Formal Sittings857862442815
Studio Work404550555248
4

Portrait Artist Studio Layout

Master Portraitist Studio Layout, north at the top. North Light Window in the north, Subject Dais in the west, Easel and Palette Area in the centre, Observation Stance in the east, Drapery and Prop Storage in the south.

Master Portraitist Studio Layout
North Light WindowSubject DaisEasel andPalette AreaObservationStanceDrapery and Prop StorageN

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