Portrait of Mikołaj Zyblikiewicz

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · viridian

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Create the velvet texture by layering burnt umber and cadmium red, then glazing with a thin layer of ivory black.

techniques

• ·portraiture
• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·chiaroscuro
• ·rendering textures

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the details before establishing the overall composition.
• →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
• →Failing to create a sense of depth and dimension.
• →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create form.