Academic Realism Mixed Media Portrait

The skill Copy

Subject and Pose: Create an illustration that is 100% faithful to the {argument name="reference" default="attached reference portrait"}, maintaining the exact likeness, pose, and expression.

Realism Style: Focus on the face and skin, making it bright, smooth, and realistic with deep skin texture. Combine oil painting techniques for dramatic modeling and bright, subtle color washes with classic charcoal realism and expressive cross-hatching for structure and shadow. Ensure the drawing is museum-quality and highly polished.

Picture Elements: Layer the artwork with fine, visible pencil strokes, detailed ink sketches, technical sketch marks, and observational drawing techniques (e.g., proportion lines, texture studies) across the canvas, displaying academic precision.

Color Palette: Limit colors to a sophisticated mix: warm earth tones and rich sepia graphite for shadow and structure, contrasted with {argument name="style" default="soft, delicate oil pastel strokes"} that match the colors of the attached subject. The general background should be a rich, dark sepia tone with charcoal, with exterior scenes in soft pencil lines and pastel washes.

Presentation: Use a {argument name="texture" default="textured oil canvas"} as the base. Balance scientific rigor with artistic expression, featuring elegant negative space and atmospheric depth. The presentation should be an editorial fine art portfolio, visualizing both classic academic imagery and contemporary conceptual portraiture.

Restrictions: Avoid cartoonish styles, comic book styles, digital plastic renderings, text, and glossy CGI. The aspect ratio should be 9:16.

How to install it Copy

Gemini

1. Open Gems → New Gem.
2. Paste the text below into the instructions field.
3. Save. The Gem appears in the sidebar and keeps the instructions
   across conversations.

In Google AI Studio the same text goes in System instructions.

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Where it came from

2026 YouMind-OpenLab