Portrait of George Montagu, Detail

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · ivory black

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create the dark tones in the background and clothing. Add white to create lighter shades of blue for the clothing highlights.

techniques

• ·portrait painting
• ·glazing
• ·blending
• ·value study
• ·color mixing

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the skin tones and making them look muddy.
• →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
• →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.