plate no. 1147
Head I, Vera En Grecque
Matthew Smith, 1932
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice color mixing to achieve specific skin tones and learn how to simplify forms using bold brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and background.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of red paint.
- step 03
Mix the base skin tone using yellow, white, and a touch of red.
- step 04
Apply the base skin tone to the face and body, leaving areas for shadows and highlights.
- step 05
Mix darker shades for shadows and apply them to the appropriate areas, blending slightly.
- step 06
Mix lighter shades for highlights and apply them to the face and body.
- step 07
Add details like the eyes, nose, and mouth using small brushstrokes.
- step 08
Refine the edges and add any final touches.
color palette
primary · cadmium yellow · cadmium red · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Skin tones are achieved by mixing yellow, white, and red in varying proportions. Use blue and umber to create shadows and darker tones.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·blending
- ·loose brushwork
- ·simplification of form
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy look.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Using too much detail, losing the simplified style.
- →Not achieving the right skin tone.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#2 round brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-sized canvas to make it easier to manage the composition. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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