plate no. 4219

Potrait of Evert Rinsema

Theo van Doesburg, 1915

pastel, paperExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanheadprofileclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color layering and expressive mark-making with pastels. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying character through simplified forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 4 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, neck, and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the background color with a light layer of pastel.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color on the face and clothing, using broad strokes.
step 04
Begin layering colors to create depth and dimension in the skin tones.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to the shapes and values.
step 06
Refine the shapes and edges of the portrait, using short, broken strokes.
step 07
Add the signature and any other details.
step 08
Blend lightly to soften some edges, but maintain the expressive mark-making.

color palette

primary · red · blue · yellow · white

secondary · green · brown · orange

Mix reds and yellows for the skin tones, adding white to lighten and blue to cool. Use layers of blue and white for the clothing. Mix greens for the background.

techniques

·color layering
·blending
·hatching
·scumbling
·expressive mark-making

common pitfalls

→over-blending and losing the expressive marks
→using too much pressure and making the colors muddy
→not paying attention to proportions
→getting the skin tones too flat

materials

surface · drawing paper

required

·pastel set
·drawing paper
·kneaded eraser
·fixative spray
·paper towels
·soft cloth

optional

·pastel pencils
·tortillon
·workable fixative

Use a paper with a slightly textured surface to grip the pastel. Consider using a workable fixative to build up layers of pastel without filling the tooth of the paper.

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