plate no. 5229
Self Portrait
Frederick Varley, 1919
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and expressive brushwork to capture form and light. It also encourages observation of subtle color variations within shadows and highlights.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background elements.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
- step 03
Block in the main color areas: skin, hair, clothing, and background.
- step 04
Begin building up the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
- step 05
Define the features of the face, using darker values for shadows and lighter values for highlights.
- step 06
Add details to the clothing and background, using expressive brushstrokes to create texture and form.
- step 07
Refine the edges and details, adjusting the values and colors as needed.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue
secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw umber
Mix skin tones by combining yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red and ultramarine blue for subtle variations. Use viridian green and yellow ochre to create the green tones in the jacket. Darken colors with raw umber and ultramarine blue.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·impasto
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the face.
- →Ignoring the subtle shifts in color and value within the skin tones.
- →Using too much detail in the background, distracting from the main subject.
- →Not varying brushstrokes enough
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or mineral spirits
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
- ·easel
- ·mahl stick
Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) for this project. Consider using a limited palette of colors to simplify the mixing process.
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