plate no. 5814

Self Portrait

oilRealismself-portraitportraitmanclothingfacemustachefigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in rendering fabric and facial hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and hair, focusing on the overall values.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying close attention to the placement and shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension in the face and clothing.
step 06
Develop the details of the mustache and hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the edges of the figure and clothing to create a sense of depth and separation from the background.
step 08
Add final details and adjustments to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red or burnt sienna. Use raw umber and black for shadows and background. Add small amounts of blue to darken the shadows.

techniques

·underpainting
·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.
→Overworking the details before establishing the overall form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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