plate no. 8312
See-non-ty-a, an Iowa Medicine Man
George Catlin, 1845
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures and details in clothing and accessories.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and headdress.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of muted green and gray.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, headdress, and clothing.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
- step 05
Add details to the headdress, jewelry, and clothing, using thin lines and small brushstrokes.
- step 06
Create depth by layering colors and adding highlights and shadows.
- step 07
Soften edges and blend colors to create a smooth, realistic effect.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray · sap green
Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use payne's gray and white for cooler shadows. Mix greens with yellow ochre and payne's gray.
techniques
- ·portrait sketching
- ·color mixing
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·rendering textures
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions in the initial sketch
- →Overly harsh or muddy skin tones
- →Lack of attention to detail in the accessories
- →Flat or lifeless rendering of the face
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a glazing medium to enhance the depth and luminosity of the colors.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
