plate no. 2017

Self Portrait

Jacqueline Hick, 1947

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitwomanhatskycloudsclothing

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and understanding light and shadow on the face. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and creating a sense of depth.

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 portrait, focusing on the head, hat, and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face and clothing with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, mixing colors carefully to match the values and hues in the reference image.
step 04
Refine the details of the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Paint the hat, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Develop the background, blending the colors to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the face, clothing, and hat.
step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments to the composition, colors, or values.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Skin tones are achieved by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, cadmium red, and titanium white. The background uses a mix of ultramarine blue, raw umber, and white.

techniques

·portraiture
·color mixing
·value study
·blending
·broken brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness of the paint.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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