plate no. 0872
Officer mariner on pink background
Yiannis Tsaroychis, 1959
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in portraiture, focusing on capturing likeness and rendering simple forms with visible brushstrokes. Students will learn to mix skin tones and create a sense of depth through subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and uniform, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of pink paint.
- step 03
Establish the main skin tones using a limited palette, focusing on highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Paint the uniform with white, adding subtle shadows to create form.
- step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the details of the uniform, including the buttons and shoulder boards.
- step 07
Refine the edges and blend the colors as needed.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
secondary · ivory black · ultramarine blue · gold
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of raw umber. The pink background is a mix of white and cadmium red light. The uniform uses white with touches of raw umber for shadows.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·portraiture
- ·visible brushstrokes
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the details, losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil or acrylic medium
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·easel
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for a slightly textured surface. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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