plate no. 8670
Portrait of a young man
George Pemba, 1950
some experience helpful
This painting offers a good opportunity to practice portraiture and rendering form with a limited palette. Students can develop their skills in color mixing and brushwork to create realistic skin tones and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and buildings using light pencil lines.
- step 02
Establish the background sky and the general color of the buildings with thin washes.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of the figure's skin, clothing, and hat with broad strokes, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 05
Add details to the clothing and hat, such as folds and wrinkles, to enhance realism.
- step 06
Develop the background buildings and foliage, adding details to suggest texture and form.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and value contrast to create a cohesive and balanced composition.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the figure and background to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red
Mix burnt umber and white for the skin tones, adding small amounts of red and yellow for warmth. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, and mix raw sienna with white and a touch of yellow ochre for the buildings.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Neglecting the importance of value contrast in creating form.
- →Getting lost in details too early, before establishing the overall structure.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium red)
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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