plate no. 6882

15. Self Portrait with Straw Hat 2017 by Anthony D. Padgett (after Van Gogh Paris 1887)

Anthony Padgett, 2017

oilPointillismsymbolic paintingportraithatfigureclothingfaceself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand and practice impasto techniques and learn how to build form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve realistic skin tones and clothing colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, hat, and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color with thin washes, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin applying thicker paint with visible brushstrokes, following the direction of the forms.
step 04
Focus on building up the skin tones with layers of different shades of brown, pink, and white.
step 05
Define the details of the hat and clothing with contrasting colors and sharper edges.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the background with short, directional brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix various shades of skin tones by combining yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, and white. Achieve the blue clothing color by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of black for shadows.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·directional brushstrokes
·color mixing
·layering

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Ignoring the direction of the brushstrokes, which can flatten the forms.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting lost in the details before establishing the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red, ivory black)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or mineral spirits