plate no. 8713
Self-Portrait
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in tonal value and portraiture, focusing on capturing likeness and mood through limited color palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the portrait's basic shapes and proportions.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and shadows.
- step 03
Begin layering in mid-tones, focusing on the planes of the face.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying close attention to the eyes and mouth.
- step 05
Add highlights to create depth and form.
- step 06
Develop the clothing details, maintaining the tonal consistency.
- step 07
Add final touches to the hair and background.
- step 08
Sign the painting in the lower right corner.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw umber · ivory black
secondary · titanium white
Mix burnt umber and raw umber for the mid-tones. Add ivory black for shadows and titanium white to lighten for highlights.
techniques
- ·tonal layering
- ·hatching
- ·scumbling
- ·portrait sketching
common pitfalls
- →over-blending
- →losing the likeness
- →ignoring the value structure
- →uneven application of paint
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a toned canvas to help establish the mid-tones from the start.
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