plate no. 6491
Portrait of a Vietnamese Boy
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the boy, hat, and bamboo stalks.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted blue-green for the background.
- step 03
Block in the main colors of the bamboo, using light greens and creams.
- step 04
Establish the skin tones with very light washes of pink, yellow, and white.
- step 05
Paint the hat with subtle variations of off-white and gray.
- step 06
Add details to the face, focusing on soft shadows and highlights.
- step 07
Refine the bamboo stalks and leaves, adding depth and texture.
- step 08
Add final details like the red hat straps and the boy's clothing.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · sap green · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · cerulean blue · cadmium red light
Achieve the subtle skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. The greens are created by mixing sap green with yellow ochre and white for lighter shades, and raw umber for darker shades.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·soft blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, leading to a muddy appearance.
- →Making the bamboo stalks too uniform and lacking depth.
- →Using colors that are too saturated, losing the painting's delicate feel.
- →Neglecting the subtle variations in light and shadow.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·flat brush (size 6)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·soft cloth
- ·graphite pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Use high-quality acrylic paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will help with blending.
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