plate no. 0942

John Minton

Lucian Freud, 1952

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfacehairclothing

experienced study

Recreating this portrait will help students develop skills in color mixing for realistic skin tones and understanding subtle shifts in value to create form. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and expression.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and shapes of the head and features.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin underpainting using a neutral color like burnt umber.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones by layering thin washes of color, focusing on the shadows and highlights.
step 04
Mix a variety of skin tones using primary colors, white, and a touch of green or purple to create subtle variations.
step 05
Carefully render the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
step 06
Paint the hair using a combination of dark browns and blacks, adding highlights to create texture and form.
step 07
Complete the background with a simple, muted color.
step 08
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments to the overall composition.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and small amounts of blue or green to create subtle variations. The green in the shirt is created by mixing blue and yellow.

techniques

·layering
·glazing
·color mixing
·portraiture
·observational drawing

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions and shapes of the face.
→Ignoring the subtle shifts in value and color, resulting in a flat, lifeless portrait.
→Getting lost in details too early, before establishing the overall value structure.