plate no. 7690
Portrait of Anne
Avigdor Arikha, 2002
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and using brushstrokes to define form. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and creating a sense of depth through subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, hair, and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with a thin wash of neutral color.
- step 03
Begin blocking in the larger areas of color, starting with the background and then the hair.
- step 04
Mix and apply skin tones, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
- step 05
Refine the features of the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Add details to the hair, using short, directional brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 07
Define the clothing with bold brushstrokes and strong color.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create a sense of depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix skin tones by combining white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber or blue to create shadows. Use ultramarine blue and white to create the blue of the clothing. Burnt umber and yellow ochre can be used to create the hair color.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·directional brushstrokes
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Using too much detail in the hair, making it look unnatural.
- →Ignoring subtle value changes, leading to a lack of depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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