plate no. 0300

Portrait of a Young Man

Arshile Gorky, 1927

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingheadface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing, and capturing likeness with simplified forms. It also provides practice in layering and blending paint to achieve subtle tonal variations.

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, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending different shades of yellow, orange, and brown.
step 04
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to their placement and shape.
step 05
Develop the clothing and background, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
step 06
Use visible brushstrokes to create a sense of movement and energy.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium orange

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of white. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the background. Mix orange and brown to create the clothing color.

techniques

·color mixing
·layering
·blending
·visible brushstrokes
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and form.
→Not paying attention to the light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 12x16
·Oil paints: yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, raw umber, cadmium orange
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags