plate no. 1934

John Deakin

Lucian Freud, 1964

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfaceheadexpression

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing form through color temperature variations. It also offers practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and planes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head and facial features.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin, neutral tone.
step 03
Establish the darkest values in the hair and clothing using a dark brown or black.
step 04
Begin applying the base skin tones, focusing on the overall color temperature (warm vs. cool).
step 05
Build up the form by layering different hues and values, using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 06
Pay close attention to the highlights and shadows to define the planes of the face.
step 07
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, but maintain the expressive, painterly style.
step 08
Refine the edges and adjust the overall color balance.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue to cool down areas in shadow. Yellow ochre can be added to warm up highlights.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·directional brushstrokes
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
→Getting bogged down in details too early in the process.
→Ignoring the underlying structure of the face and relying solely on surface details.
→Failing to capture the expressive quality of the brushwork.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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