plate no. 5065

Mama

Oleg Holosiy, 1991

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigurefacehairclothingcollar

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, focusing on capturing likeness and using a limited palette to create tonal variations. It also provides practice in visible brushwork and blending.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and collar using light pencil lines.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the background with a dark, neutral tone.
step 03
Begin layering in the mid-tones on the face, using a mix of browns and whites.
step 04
Define the shadows and highlights on the face to create depth and form.
step 05
Paint the hair using short, directional brushstrokes to suggest texture.
step 06
Add the details of the collar, paying attention to the subtle variations in value.
step 07
Refine the overall composition by adjusting the values and adding finishing touches.
step 08
Let it dry and add a thin glaze to unify the colors if desired.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · raw sienna · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, white, and small amounts of raw sienna. Use ivory black to darken the values and create shadows. Mix white with a touch of black for the collar.

techniques

·blocking in
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·tonal painting
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, leading to a lack of depth.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch, making it difficult to capture the likeness.
→Using too much paint, resulting in a muddy and overworked surface.