plate no. 4829

Rochelle

oilRealismportraitportraitfigurewomanfacehairclothing

some experience helpful

This painting provides an opportunity to practice portraiture basics, including proportions and skin tone mixing. Students will learn to create subtle value changes to define form and capture a likeness.

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 and proportions of the head and facial features.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Block in the main areas of light and shadow on the face and neck using a limited palette.
step 04
Refine the skin tones by layering and blending colors, paying attention to subtle value changes.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 06
Paint the hair, defining the overall shape and direction of the strands.
step 07
Add the clothing and any background elements.
step 08
Make final adjustments to values and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing raw umber, titanium white, and small amounts of cadmium red. Use ultramarine blue to cool down shadows and yellow ochre to warm up highlights.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·value blocking
·color mixing
·blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Using too much red in the skin tones.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that define form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife