plate no. 0289

Self-Portrait

oilRealismself-portraitportraitfigurefacehairclothingself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice portrait proportions, skin tone mixing, and capturing subtle light and shadow with visible brushstrokes. It also offers a good exercise in creating a sense of depth and form using a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 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 warm yellow-brown.
step 03
Establish the main shadow shapes on the face and clothing using darker mixtures of browns and grays.
step 04
Begin layering lighter skin tones, focusing on the forehead, cheeks, and nose.
step 05
Paint the hair using a combination of light and dark browns, paying attention to the direction of the strands.
step 06
Add details to the eyes, lips, and nose, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the shapes and values, blending edges where necessary.
step 08
Add final highlights to the face and hair to create a sense of light and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Skin tones are achieved by mixing yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red light, and titanium white. Grays for the clothing are created by mixing burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. The background is primarily yellow ochre with touches of burnt umber.

techniques