plate no. 8798

Self Portrait

Hubertine Heijermans, 1959

oil, canvasExpressionismself-portraitportraitwomanfacehairfigureself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing light and shadow with visible brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex forms and focusing on essential details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, neck, and shoulders.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, background.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the face, using a limited palette.
step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the angles and proportions.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 06
Blend and soften edges where needed, but retain some visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Add highlights and reflections to the eyes and lips.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Use viridian and ultramarine sparingly to cool down shadows and add depth to the hair.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·scumbling
·color temperature
·portraiture

common pitfalls

→Overblending and losing the texture of the brushstrokes.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Using too much detail and losing the overall impression.
→Not paying attention to the light and shadow patterns.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red light, yellow ochre, viridian, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags