plate no. 0943

Self-portrait

Christopher Wood, 1927

oilPost-Impressionismself-portraitportraitcityscapebuildingsfigureartist toolssweater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering skin tones, as well as practicing perspective and creating depth in a cityscape background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the basic shapes of the figure, buildings, and composition.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color for the figure, background, and foreground.
step 03
Develop the skin tones using layers of thin washes, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 04
Paint the cityscape background, focusing on creating depth through variations in color and value.
step 05
Add details to the figure's clothing, including the pattern on the sweater.
step 06
Refine the artist's tools and other objects in the foreground.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · raw umber

Mix skin tones using a combination of white, red, yellow, and a touch of blue or brown. Achieve the sweater pattern colors by mixing the primary colors with white and brown.

techniques