plate no. 8813

Self Portrait

Georg Tappert, 1909

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitmanbeardself-portraitface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying expression.

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 facial features.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of ochre and burnt sienna, varying the tones.
step 03
Establish the darkest areas of the beard, hair, and clothing with dark browns and blacks.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of pinks, yellows, and browns, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Define the facial features, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful observation and subtle color variations.
step 06
Add highlights to the hair, face, and clothing to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to achieve a realistic and expressive portrait.
step 08
Add final touches and signature.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue to cool down skin tones in shadow areas. Create darker tones by mixing burnt sienna and black.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken color
·Scumbling
·Layering
·Color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the face.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Overworking the details, leading to a stiff and unnatural appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags