plate no. 9485

Portrait of AD Scott 1969

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfaceheadbeard

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and expression.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head and facial features.
step 02
Block in the background with a mix of dark greens and browns, varying the tones.
step 03
Establish the main skin tones using a base of orange, red, and brown.
step 04
Add highlights to the face, focusing on the forehead, nose, and cheekbones, using lighter shades of orange and yellow.
step 05
Define the shadows on the face, using darker mixtures of brown, red, and green.
step 06
Paint the hair and beard, using dark browns and grays, and add highlights with white and light gray.
step 07
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall composition to achieve a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use raw umber and ivory black to create shadows. Mix viridian green and raw umber for the background.

techniques

·alla prima
·color mixing
·portraiture
·scumbling
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Neglecting the importance of accurate proportions.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Ignoring the impact of light and shadow on the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt sienna, raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red, viridian green, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags