plate no. 8231

Alejandro Cabeza

Alejandro Cabeza, 2013

oil, canvasContemporary Realismself-portraitfigureportraitclothinghatshadowsinterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with light and shadow. It also provides practice in color mixing and creating a sense of depth through value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and areas of color with thin washes.
step 03
Establish the darkest and lightest values to create a sense of form.
step 04
Begin building up layers of paint, focusing on the mid-tones and subtle color variations.
step 05
Refine the details of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Develop the texture of the clothing and background with visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a cohesive and realistic painting.

color palette

primary · viridian green · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix greens by combining viridian green with raw umber and yellow ochre. Achieve skin tones by mixing titanium white, cadmium red light, and yellow ochre, adjusting with raw umber for shadows.

techniques

·alla prima
·color mixing
·value studies
·chiaroscuro
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the face.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
→Getting the values wrong, which can flatten the form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints: viridian green, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ivory black
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Palette knife
·Rags