01. A Portrait by Anthony of His Brother, Philip 2017 by Anthony D. Padgett (after Theo by Van Gogh C.1880)

A contemplative man in three-quarter view gazes downward and to the left, his face bathed in cool light from the upper left that creates dramatic shadows on the right side of his head and jaw. The background is a patchwork of lavender and blue rectangular blocks in varying values, deliberately patterned to push the figure forward. His light-colored shirt and dark suit jacket are rendered with thick, directional brushstrokes that follow the form, and small touches of warm red accent the painting at the collar and elsewhere. The eye is drawn immediately to the face because of the strong value contrast between the illuminated forehead and cheekbones and the deep shadows on the right plane.

The painting operates in a compressed middle-to-light range dominated by cool blues and purples. The lightest lights are the forehead, cheekbones, and shirt front (nearly white with blue undertone). The darkest darks are the deep shadows on the right side of the face, the suit jacket, and scattered background blocks. Everything else lives in a narrow band of mid-values—this creates visual unity while the carefully placed extremes of light and dark generate impact. Squinting reveals the head reads as a clear light form against a only-slightly-darker jacket and background.

• #c0cce1

  Titanium white + touch of Payne's gray + ultramarine blue

  Brightest highlights on forehead, cheekbone, shirt front, and lightest background squares

• #b2c0d8

  Titanium white + more Payne's gray + ultramarine blue

  Light planes of the face, shirt, and mid-value background blocks

• #9cacca

  Payne's gray + ultramarine blue + touch of white

  Mid-tones in jacket, background blocks, and shadow planes of face

• #7889ab

  Payne's gray + ultramarine blue

  Medium shadows in the suit jacket and face contours

• #617397

  Lamp black + ultramarine blue + Payne's gray

  Dark shadows on the right side of face, jaw line, and deep jacket folds

• #3e4a65

  Lamp black + Payne's gray + ultramarine blue

  Darkest accents in the suit jacket and deepest background shadows

• #cd5c5c

  Cadmium red light + touch of white or lamp black to adjust

  Strategic warm accents at the collar and subtle line work in the face

Brushwork is emphatic and directional throughout—strokes follow the structure of form rather than blending smoothly. The background blocks are built with deliberate square strokes in flat color with minimal blending; this anchors the geometric composition. The face combines soft edges where form turns away (cheeks, jaw) with crisp edges where strong light meets shadow. Hair is sculpted with linear hatching strokes rather than smooth rendering, creating texture and energy. The jacket folds use thick, linear marks that emphasize volume and cloth weight.

1. 01

   Monochrome underpainting in blue

   Mix a limited palette of blues and grays—Payne's gray, ultramarine blue, lamp black, and titanium white. Block in the entire composition in monochrome, establishing the major value relationships: the light forehead and cheekbones, the dark right side of the face and jacket, and the patchwork background. Use a #6 flat brush and work loose—this is about value structure, not detail. Get the proportions and the downward gaze angle correct now.

2. 02

   Background geometric pattern

   With the monochrome still wet or semi-dry, paint the background's patchwork of rectangular blocks using your #6 flat. Vary the values within a narrow range—light blues and purples, with darker blocks scattered throughout. Make each block deliberate and slightly visible; don't aim for smooth integration. The rhythm should feel intentional, almost architectural, rather than random.

3. 03

   Head and facial structure

   Using a #2 round brush, define the major planes of the face: the forehead's light plane, the cheekbone ridge, the shadowed right side, the jaw. Pay attention to how the light falls on the bridge of the nose and how the eye sockets read as dark. The contour on the left side of the face is crisp; the right side softens into shadow. Keep the values true to your underpainting; you're refining, not rebuilding.

4. 04

   Model the face with directional strokes

   Build subtle modeling on the face using small, directional brushstrokes that follow facial anatomy. Work from light to dark, adding shadow strokes to the right plane of the face, under the cheekbone, and around the eye sockets. Use your #2 round for precision and your #6 flat for larger shadow areas. The eye gaze is downward and to the left—ensure this contemplative quality reads clearly through the value placement.

5. 05

   Shirt and jacket structure

   Paint the white or light-colored shirt using thick, expressive strokes with the #6 flat. The shirt front is nearly white with blue undertone; the collar transitions to the jacket. Then block in the dark suit jacket with directional strokes that follow the form—visible brushmarks on the sleeves and chest create volume and cloth texture. Use a mix of dark blue and gray to avoid flat black.

6. 06

   Facial features and expression

   Add the eyes, nose, and mouth carefully using your #2 round. The expression is contemplative and introspective—the eyes gaze downward. Keep features slightly simplified rather than photorealistic; a soft line for the mouth, shadowed eye sockets with minimal white highlight, a dark line for the nose shadow. Work with the values you've already established rather than introducing new extremes.

7. 07

   Hair rendering with texture

   The hair is rendered with linear hatching strokes that suggest form rather than detail every strand. Use directional marks with your #2 round and #6 flat, following the skull's shape. The darker values on the right side of the head suggest shadow; the forehead reads as lit. Visible brushstrokes and some bare canvas peeking through create energy and the expressive quality.

8. 08

   Red accents and refinement

   With cadmium red light, add small, strategic warm touches—typically around the collar area and in subtle line work (perhaps at the ear or along the jaw). These accents don't blend smoothly; they sit on the surface, creating visual interest. Step back and squint to check values. Refine edges where needed: sharpen the hard edges between light and dark on the face, keep soft edges on the cheeks and jaw.

9. 09

   Final texture and unity check

   Using a dry #6 flat, add a few final expressive strokes over the entire surface to unify the brushwork—a light scumble over background, slight texture over the jacket, small marks in the hair. Ensure the painting reads clearly from arm's length. The background should not compete with the face; the value relationships should make the figure feel present and contemplative.

• Background blocks can feel chaotic instead of intentional—resist the urge to make every block different. Vary value subtly within a narrow range so the pattern reads as architectural, not random texture.
• The face is easy to model too smoothly or too harshly. The key is that soft edges (cheeks, jaw) coexist with crisp edges (the sharp shadow on the right plane). This contrast takes restraint—don't blend everything into hazy softness.
• Hair rendered as tangled strands instead of sculptural form. Remember that visible brushstrokes follow the skull's shape and suggest volume through directional marks, not through detail.
• Red accents are minimal but crucial—easy to either lose them entirely or overdo them until the painting reads as busy. Place them strategically and let them sit on the surface without blending; they're visual punctuation.
• The downward gaze requires careful eye placement and subtle shadow work. If eyes are painted too large, too centered, or too brightly, the introspective quality disappears and the face looks startled rather than contemplative.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility