Arthur Jeffress by Graham Sutherland

plate no. 7535

Arthur Jeffress

Graham Sutherland, 1953

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfaceheadclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing, and expressive brushwork. It's a good exercise in capturing likeness and mood through color and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

3

brushwork visibility

4

value contrast

4

compositional simplicity

4

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of red.
step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a limited palette.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
step 05
Add details to the hair and clothing.
step 06
Use expressive brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors to achieve a sense of realism and mood.
step 08
Add final highlights and details.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix different shades of brown and red by combining burnt sienna, raw umber, and cadmium red. Use white to lighten the colors and black to darken them. Yellow ochre can be used to add warmth to the skin tones.

techniques

·alla prima
·dry brush
·color mixing
·portraiture
·expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Getting the proportions wrong
→Using too much paint
→Not paying attention to the values

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·burnt sienna oil paint
·raw umber oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·cadmium red oil paint
·#4 round brush
·#8 flat brush
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·medium gloss

Use a medium-sized canvas for this project. It is important to use good quality oil paints for best results.

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