plate no. 0441
Self-Portrait
Frantisek Kupka, 1905
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using a limited color palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, easel, and background.
- step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Begin building up layers of paint, focusing on the face and hands.
- step 04
Refine the details of the clothing and background, paying attention to the direction of the brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.
- step 06
Work on the facial features, capturing the likeness of the subject.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to create a harmonious composition.
- step 08
Add final details and refine the edges of the forms.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow
Mix raw umber and white for the skin tones, adding small amounts of burnt sienna for warmth and ultramarine blue for cool shadows. Use a combination of raw umber, burnt sienna, and cadmium yellow to create the browns and earth tones for the clothing and background.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·value studies
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Using too much paint and losing the sense of transparency.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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