plate no. 9294

Kopf Mit Roter Mütze

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigurehatwindowclothingface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing a likeness with simplified shapes and visible brushstrokes. Students will also learn to create depth and form using subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, hat, and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a mid-tone gray-green, defining the window shape.
step 03
Establish the main skin tone with a mix of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
step 04
Add shadows to the face using a mix of burnt umber and the skin tone.
step 05
Paint the red hat, varying the color slightly to create form.
step 06
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with subtle details.
step 07
Add the clothing, using a similar color palette to the skin tones.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust values as needed, paying attention to the overall harmony of the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · payne's gray

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Shadows are created by adding burnt umber to the skin tone mix. The red hat is a mix of cadmium red and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

·blocking in
·dry brush blending
·scumbling
·color mixing
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.