plate no. 1255
Portrait
Francis Bacon, 1930
some experience helpful
Recreating this portrait will help students practice value shading and capturing a likeness with limited colors. It also allows exploration of expressive mark-making.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic head shape and facial features, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and shadows on the face using charcoal or dark paint.
- step 03
Gradually build up the mid-tones on the face, blending to create smooth transitions.
- step 04
Add highlights to the forehead, nose, and cheeks to define the form.
- step 05
Paint the red shirt with a flat, even tone.
- step 06
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
- step 07
Add the small details like the spots on the face.
- step 08
Adjust values and edges as needed to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.
color palette
primary · gray · red · black
secondary · white · brown
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Achieve the red by using a cadmium red hue. Brown can be mixed using red and black.
techniques
- ·value shading
- ·blending
- ·limited palette
- ·expressive mark-making
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the blending and losing the expressive quality.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Getting the proportions wrong and distorting the likeness.
- →Using too many colors and muddying the image.
materials
surface · toned paper or canvas
required
- ·charcoal pencils (soft, medium, hard)
- ·red acrylic or oil paint
- ·white acrylic or oil paint
- ·gray acrylic or oil paint
- ·black acrylic or oil paint
- ·blending stumps or tortillions
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·drawing paper or canvas
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·fixative spray
A toned surface can help establish the mid-tones and make the highlights pop. Consider using a slightly textured paper for added interest.
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