plate no. 2239
John Westlake
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle skin tones and rendering details like hair and facial hair. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form through careful value adjustments.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and facial features using a pencil.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin layer of paint.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, beard, and clothing.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create smooth transitions in the skin tones.
- step 05
Add details to the hair and beard, using fine brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows.
- step 07
Paint the clothing, focusing on the folds and details of the collar.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · burnt sienna · sap green
Mix yellow ochre and white for the base skin tone, adding small amounts of raw umber and burnt sienna for warmth. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark areas of the clothing and background. Mix sap green with raw umber to create the background color.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
- →Using too much black, making the painting look muddy.
- →Neglecting the subtle color variations in the skin and hair.
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic gesso
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
A smooth canvas surface will make blending easier. Use a medium to thin the paint and improve flow.
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