apprentice
artistsserieslearnchatartworkscommunity gallery
apprentice

deliberate practice for serious artists

aboutgalleryprivacyterms
built by reducibl.com
home·artworks·Portrait of Giorgio De Chirico
Portrait of Giorgio De Chirico by Zani Corrado

plate no. 8505

Portrait of Giorgio De Chirico

Zani Corrado

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfaceclothinghead
some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing, and expressive brushwork. It also encourages observation of light and shadow to define form.

technical profile

palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

  1. step 01

    Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head and facial features.

  2. step 02

    Block in the background with a dark, neutral color.

  3. step 03

    Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a limited palette.

  4. step 04

    Begin adding local color to the skin tones, building up layers of paint.

  5. step 05

    Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.

  6. step 06

    Add the clothing details, keeping the brushstrokes loose and expressive.

  7. step 07

    Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of depth and dimension.

  8. step 08

    Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, umber, ochre, and a touch of red. Use black and umber for shadows, and white with a hint of ochre for highlights.

techniques

  • ·broken color
  • ·scumbling
  • ·alla prima
  • ·chiaroscuro
  • ·expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

  • →Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
  • →Getting the proportions of the facial features wrong.
  • →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
  • →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

  • ·stretched canvas
  • ·titanium white oil paint
  • ·burnt umber oil paint
  • ·ivory black oil paint
  • ·yellow ochre oil paint
  • ·cadmium red oil paint
  • ·#4 round brush
  • ·#8 flat brush

optional

  • ·palette knife
  • ·linseed oil
  • ·odorless mineral spirits

Use a medium-grit canvas for better paint adhesion. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

related guides

oil painting for beginners →how to learn by studying the masters →
chat about this artwork

in this vein

related artworks

Dolly Sisters

Dolly Sisters

Kees van Dongen

Nude with Loaves

Nude with Loaves

Jean Helion

My Father

My Father

Carlos Botelho

Helen

Helen

Chronis Botsoglou

The portrait painter in the country

The portrait painter in the country

Albin Egger-Lienz

Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague

Marketta on Lázeňská street, Prague

Maria Bozoky

Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city

Winter at the Entrepotdok, in Amsterdam city

Paul Werner

Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)

Old Woman with Masks (Theatre of Masks)

James Ensor