plate no. 5908

Portrait of Franz Marc

August Macke, 1910

oil, paperExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanhatclothinghand

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice expressive brushstrokes and learn how to simplify complex forms into basic shapes and colors. It also encourages exploration of color temperature and value to create depth and form.

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 of the head, hat, hand, and clothing using a pencil.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of yellow ochre.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, hat, and clothing using simplified shapes and values.
step 04
Start building up layers of color, focusing on capturing the light and shadow patterns.
step 05
Use visible brushstrokes to define the forms and create texture.
step 06
Mix and apply the darker tones to define the contours and add depth.
step 07
Add highlights to the face, hand, and hat to create focal points.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix various shades of skin tones using yellow ochre, white, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Darker tones can be achieved by adding ultramarine blue or ivory black. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·expressive brushstrokes
·color layering
·value blocking
·simplified forms
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Ignoring the importance of color temperature.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white, cadmium red, ivory black)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits