plate no. 8136

Portrait of Emile Lejeune

Chaim Soutine, 1925

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanclothingfacecaricature

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing likeness through exaggerated features. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and creating a sense of depth with limited color 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 and shoulders.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of blue and gray tones.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a limited palette of skin tones.
step 04
Begin building up the features, exaggerating the proportions and using expressive brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the clothing with broad strokes of brown and gray, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and contrast to achieve the desired effect.
step 08
Add final touches and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones by blending white, burnt sienna, and a touch of red or yellow. Use ultramarine blue and raw umber to create grays for shadows and clothing.

techniques

·expressive brushwork
·alla prima
·color mixing
·scumbling
·impasto

common pitfalls

→overworking the painting
→getting bogged down in details too early
→not exaggerating the features enough
→muddying the colors

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cadmium red light, yellow ochre)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags