plate no. 0097

Self-Portrait as a Practice Target

Otto Dix, 1915

oil, paperExpressionismself-portraitportraitfiguremilitary uniformhatfaceexpressionism

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and expressive brushwork to convey emotion. It also encourages experimentation with unconventional color choices.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and hat.
step 02
Block in the background with a light wash of diluted color.
step 03
Establish the main skin tones using a limited palette of browns, reds, and yellows.
step 04
Define the facial features, paying attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Paint the uniform and hat, using darker colors and sharper lines.
step 06
Add details such as the buttons, collar, and hat decorations.
step 07
Refine the brushwork and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add the signature and date in the bottom right corner.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · titanium white · viridian green · purple

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, cadmium red, yellow ochre, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Use white to lighten the tones and create highlights. Mix green and blue to create the hat color.

techniques

·portrait sketching
·color mixing for skin tones
·expressive brushwork
·layering
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors and creating muddy tones.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Being too literal with color and not embracing the expressive nature of the painting.
→Ignoring the background and focusing only on the figure.