Portrait of Sir Walter Scott

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, adding small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth. Achieve the dark background by mixing ivory black and burnt umber.

techniques

• ·portrait painting
• ·glazing
• ·blending
• ·value studies
• ·scumbling

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
• →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
• →Not paying attention to the subtle value changes in the face.