plate no. 0227

Head and Shoulders Portrait

Roderic O'Conor, 1910

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfiguremanhatclothingscarf

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing form with color variations rather than precise lines. It also encourages simplification of details and focusing on the overall impression.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, hat, and clothing.
step 02
Block in the background with a mid-tone gray-blue, varying the color slightly.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and hat using broad strokes.
step 04
Begin adding local color to the face, using pinks, yellows, and browns.
step 05
Define the clothing and scarf with dark blues and blacks, adding highlights with lighter tones.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 07
Add texture and interest with visible brushstrokes, varying the direction and thickness of the paint.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix various shades of gray-blue for the background by combining ultramarine blue, burnt umber, and white. Achieve skin tones by blending cadmium red, yellow ochre, white, and a touch of burnt umber. Darken colors with ivory black and lighten with titanium white.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·alla prima
·expressive brushwork
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting bogged down in precise rendering of features.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags