plate no. 0087

Paul Sacher

Graham Sutherland, 1955

oilExpressionismportraitportraitmanprofileheadfaceneutral background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly capturing likeness and form with loose brushstrokes and limited color palette. It also encourages observation of subtle tonal variations in skin tones.

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 and proportions of the head and facial features using a pencil or thin brush with diluted paint.
step 02
Block in the main areas of light and shadow with broad, loose brushstrokes, focusing on the overall tonal values.
step 03
Mix a range of skin tones using white, ochre, umber, and a touch of red. Start with lighter tones and gradually add darker values.
step 04
Apply the skin tones, blending them loosely to create soft transitions between light and shadow.
step 05
Define the facial features (eyes, nose, mouth) with more precise brushstrokes, paying attention to their shape and placement.
step 06
Add details to the hair, using a dry brush technique to create texture and individual strands.
step 07
Refine the background with loose, gestural strokes, blending it with the edges of the head to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by combining white, ochre, umber, and a touch of red. Use blue to cool down the tones in shadow areas. Achieve the background by diluting umber and white.

techniques

·dry brush
·scumbling
·tonal painting
·limited palette
·alla prima

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 correct proportions and likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle tonal variations in the skin tones.