plate no. 2938

Self-Portrait

Paritosh Sen, 1999

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitfigurefacehandchairbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and simplified color mixing to capture a likeness. It also encourages exploration of abstracting facial features and using color to create mood.

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 and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, hand, and chair.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the background: blue, green, and yellow.
step 03
Establish the dark areas of the clothing with black, leaving some areas for texture.
step 04
Mix the skin tones using yellow, white, and a touch of brown, and apply to the face and hand.
step 05
Add white highlights to the face, hair, and hand to create form.
step 06
Define the facial features with dark lines and shadows, exaggerating the shapes.
step 07
Add details to the clothing and chair, using short, expressive brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the colors and values, making adjustments as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · black · white · yellow · blue

secondary · green · red · brown

Skin tones are achieved with yellow and white, with small amounts of brown. The background green is a mix of blue and yellow. Vary the intensity of colors by mixing with white or black.

techniques