plate no. 3034

Portrait of the Artist Magnus Enckell

Alfred William Finch, 1915

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitmanprofilesuitmustacheclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and using visible brushstrokes to create texture and form. Students will also learn how to simplify a complex subject into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: background, skin, hair, suit, and collar.
step 03
Start refining the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Add details to the hair, using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the features of the face: eyes, nose, mouth, and mustache.
step 06
Work on the suit and collar, adding details and shadows.
step 07
Refine the background, adding texture and variations in color.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · viridian

Mix skin tones using burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and titanium white, adding small amounts of cadmium red for warmth and ultramarine blue for shadows. The background is achieved with yellow ochre and touches of burnt sienna and viridian. The suit is a mix of ivory black, ultramarine blue, and touches of burnt sienna.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·color temperature
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overblending skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Incorrect proportions of the facial features.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the background.
→Using too much black, making the painting look muddy.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, ivory black, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, viridian)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits