plate no. 8493
Portrait of Mana Parpulova
Georgi Kovachev, 1963
some experience helpful
This painting provides practice in portraiture with simplified forms and color blocking. Students can develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle skin tones and learn to create depth through layering and brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the large shapes.
- step 03
Refine the skin tones, mixing subtle variations of color.
- step 04
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Define the clothing and hat, paying attention to the folds and textures.
- step 06
Develop the geometric background with distinct color planes.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · raw sienna
Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of blue. Achieve the dark clothing color by mixing black with ultramarine blue. The background colors are created by mixing red with white and umber.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Losing the geometric structure of the background.
- →Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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