plate no. 2347

Red hair

George Mavroides, 1976

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfigurehairfaceclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing, and expressive brushwork. It also provides practice in capturing likeness and conveying emotion through paint.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hair.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, hair, clothing, and background.
step 03
Refine the shapes and values of the face, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the hair, using short, expressive brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Define the clothing with bold brushstrokes and contrasting colors.
step 06
Blend edges where needed to soften the transitions between colors.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form and create depth.
step 08
Step back and assess the overall composition, making any necessary adjustments.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create dark shadows. Add small amounts of cadmium red light to warm up the skin tones.

techniques

·blocking in
·expressive brushwork
·color mixing
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong, leading to an inaccurate likeness.
→Using too much detail, which can detract from the expressive quality of the painting.
→Ignoring the background, which should complement the figure and create a sense of depth.