plate no. 8769

Head III

Francis Bacon, 1961

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitfigurefaceheaddark background

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth with limited values. It encourages a loose, gestural approach to portraiture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a canvas with a dark, neutral ground (e.g., black or dark brown).
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head and hand with charcoal or a light-colored pencil.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with broad strokes of pink, red, and white, focusing on the overall form rather than precise details.
step 04
Add darker tones to define shadows and create depth, using browns and grays.
step 05
Use expressive brushstrokes to suggest the texture and form of the face, blending some areas while leaving others raw and unblended.
step 06
Introduce small amounts of red to emphasize certain areas, such as the lips and cheeks.
step 07
Refine the shapes and values, paying attention to the overall balance of the composition.
step 08
Add final details, such as highlights and subtle color variations.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · ivory black

secondary · burnt umber · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, and a touch of yellow ochre or burnt umber. Darker tones can be created by adding black or burnt umber to the skin tone mixture.

techniques

·expressive brushwork
·alla prima
·scumbling
·color mixing for skin tones
·value control

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Getting bogged down in details too early.
→Not creating enough contrast between light and dark areas.
→Being too literal with the representation of the face.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (titanium white, cadmium red, ivory black, burnt umber, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or mineral spirits

optional