plate no. 4857
Self Portrait
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides an opportunity to study limited color palettes and subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, shoulders, and hat.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of blue-gray.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the skin, clothing, and hat, using a limited palette.
- step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, paying attention to the placement 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 texture of the clothing with visible brushstrokes, following the direction of the folds.
- step 07
Paint the details of the glasses and any other accessories.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of skin tones using white, red, umber, and a touch of yellow ochre. Achieve the gray-blue background by mixing white, black, and a small amount of ultramarine blue.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·alla prima
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.
- →Overblending the colors and losing the texture.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Using too many colors and creating a muddy effect.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) for this project. Consider using a toned canvas to simplify the process.
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