plate no. 9155

Self-portrait

Fedir Krychevsky, 1911

oil, canvasImpressionismself-portraitportraitfiguremantreesfoliageclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth through layering and brushwork. It also provides practice in capturing light and shadow on a face.

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, shoulders, and background elements.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, mixing a range of colors to capture the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 04
Develop the details of the facial features, paying close attention to the shapes and values of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Work on the clothing, using thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes to create texture and form.
step 06
Add the background elements, using a loose and impressionistic style to suggest foliage and branches.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Use blue and green sparingly to cool down the skin tones in shadow areas. Mix greens and browns for the foliage, adding touches of red and yellow for variation.

techniques