plate no. 0117

Cubist Portrait

oilCubismportraitportraitcubismgeometric shapesabstractheadfigure

some experience helpful

This painting offers a great opportunity to practice color mixing and creating geometric forms with clean edges. Students will learn to simplify a subject into basic shapes and use color to define planes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic geometric shapes and their placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, focusing on accurate shapes and proportions.
step 03
Mix the various shades of each color, paying attention to subtle variations.
step 04
Apply the colors within the shapes, maintaining clean edges.
step 05
Add the small details, such as the thin line and the small red accents.
step 06
Refine the edges and shapes as needed to match the original painting.
step 07
Let dry and add a varnish layer.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red light · payne's grey

Achieve the muted tones by mixing the primary colors with white and small amounts of complementary colors. The pinks are created by mixing red with white, and the light blues by mixing blue with white.

techniques

·color mixing
·hard-edge painting
·geometric abstraction
·layering
·blocking in

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the shapes.
→Muddy colors due to over-mixing.
→Uneven application of paint.
→Losing the clean edges between shapes.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·titanium white oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·cadmium red light oil paint
·assorted brushes (flat and round)

optional

·palette knife
·painting medium (linseed oil or alkyd)
·easel
·palette

Using a medium-tooth canvas will help achieve a similar texture to the original painting. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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