plate no. 9278

Self-portrait

Istvan Nagy, 1920

oilPost-Impressionismself-portraitportraitmanhatglassesfigureself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing form using visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere with a limited color palette.

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 of the head, hat, and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with a mix of greens and blues, using loose brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face with broad strokes of color.
step 04
Mix a range of skin tones using earth tones, white, and small amounts of red, yellow, and blue.
step 05
Apply the skin tones, building up layers of color to create form and dimension.
step 06
Paint the hat and clothing, using darker values to create contrast and depth.
step 07
Add details such as the glasses, mustache, and tie, using smaller brushes.
step 08
Refine the painting by adjusting values, adding highlights, and softening edges where needed.

color palette

primary · viridian green · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, yellow ochre, and white, with small amounts of red and blue for warmth and coolness. The background is a mix of viridian green and ultramarine blue, lightened with white.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in skin tone.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform and lifeless.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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