plate no. 7641

Self Portrait

Petros Malayan, 1979

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitfiguremanbeardclothingbackground

what to study here

It shows how extreme value contrast, soft lost edges and visible gestural strokes can make a face emerge from an abstract, restless dark ground.

Start with the value structure. The lightest lights sit on the left side of the face and the shirt, and the background drops to very dark darks, so the head reads as three zones: bright face, mid-tone clothing, dark chaotic ground. The vision analysis places the strong light from the upper left, with the right side of the face and neck in shadow. Study how the beard works as a bridge. It runs from dark shadow under the chin to lighter ochre tones where light catches it, moving the eye between face and darkness. Look at the edges: the head silhouette is soft and often lost, dissolving into a background of vertical and diagonal marks in dark blues, blacks, greens and grays. Strokes follow the cheekbone and beard direction loosely and are left visible, not blended away. The face is the more resolved passage; the background is nearly abstract. The palette is earthy, with ochre and raw sienna warmth against blue-gray shadows, not ruddy flesh. Check how the gaze, upward and to the left, carries the contemplative intensity with only small, minimal marks for the eyes.

key decision

The painter pushed the background to very dark, loosely marked darks while keeping the left side of the face and the shirt as the lightest lights. This makes the head glow and separates three clear value zones.

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Petros Malayan's 1979 oil self-portrait, executed in the Expressionist style. While specific visual details of this particular canvas (such as the subject's pose, clothing, or background elements) are not described in the provided sources, the guide relies on established oil painting techniques and portrait composition principles relevant to the medium and genre. The process emphasizes the 'fat over lean' rule for layering, the use of glazing and scumbling to build depth, and the compositional focus on the eyes and eyebrows to convey character rather than mere likeness. The artist’s expressionist approach likely prioritizes the 'inner essence' of the subject over photographic realism, utilizing the expressive capacity of oil paint’s texture and translucency.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 4-6 weeks (allowing for oxidation drying times between layers)

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (artist grade)	Primary medium for color and form	—
Linseed oil	Medium to thin paint and increase oil content for upper layers ('fat over lean')	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent for thinning initial layers, cleaning brushes, and removing wet paint	Odorless mineral spirits (OMS)
Canvas	Support surface	Primed linen or cotton canvas
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching of the subject	Vine charcoal or diluted oil wash
Paintbrushes, palette knives, and rags	Application and manipulation of paint texture	—
Varnish (optional)	Final protection and sheen adjustment	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for Malayan are not detailed, traditional oil painting often involves a ground that allows for proper adhesion. Ensure the surface is stable to prevent cracking, as the quality of the oil and ground leads to a strong paint film (Source 1).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). For a self-portrait, focus on capturing the 'inner essence' and character rather than just a literal likeness (Source 3). The eyes and eyebrows are critical for conveying expression, as the mouth is often kept relatively neutral in historical portraiture (Source 3).

underpainting

Consider using a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values before applying color. This involves mentally extracting red and yellow tones to create a neutral base, which can later be glazed with color (Source 2). This technique helps in managing the 'inner significance' of the portrait (Source 3).

color palette

Neutral Grays/Browns

Black, white, and earth tones

Grisaille underpainting to establish form and value without color distraction (Source 2)

Reds and Yellows

Vermilion, cadmium, or ochre

Glazing and scumbling over the dry underpainting to introduce warmth and flesh tones (Source 2)

Ultramarine

Ultramarine blue

Historical method for initial oil painting layers, often mixed with black and white (Source 2)

White

Titanium or Zinc white

Highlighting and adjusting value in the underpainting and final layers (Source 2)

composition

While the specific composition of this self-portrait is not described, general principles suggest avoiding exact bisections of the picture space and ensuring the subject does not face directly out of the image unless a formal symmetry is desired (Source 6). The composition should guide the viewer's eye to a center of interest, likely the face, using contrast between detailed areas (eyes/eyebrows) and 'rest' areas (Source 6). The head may be positioned in a three-quarter view to reveal character more effectively than a full profile or frontal view (Source 3).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the self-portrait onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on the placement of the eyes and eyebrows to convey character.
Tip — Ensure the sketch captures the 'inner essence' rather than just physical likeness (Source 3).
Initial Sketch

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer (grisaille) using oil of copavia or linseed oil with black, ultramarine, and white. Establish values and forms without color.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on structure (Source 2).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, apply glazes of red and yellow tones using oil. Use scumbling (semi-opaque paint) to adjust tones where needed.
Tip — Glazing adds transparency; scumbling allows the underlayer to show through (Source 2).
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
Build up layers following the 'fat over lean' rule: each subsequent layer must contain more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Tip — Monitor drying times; oil paint dries by oxidation, taking days to weeks (Source 1).
Fat over Lean

finishing

step 05
Refine the eyes and eyebrows to convey specific emotions (wonder, pity, concentration, etc.) as these are key to portrait expression.
Tip — The eyes provide the most reliable information about the subject's character (Source 3).
Expressive Detail

varnishing

step 06
Apply varnish if desired to unify the sheen and protect the painting. Ensure all layers are fully dry.
Tip — Varnish can adjust the sheen and translucency of the final work (Source 1).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

A basic rule of oil painting where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 1).

Glazing

Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and tone, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 2).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create a grey bloom or coldness, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 2).

Character Portraiture

Focusing on the expression of character and moral quality through the eyes and eyebrows, rather than temporary or accidental features (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Violating the 'fat over lean' rule, which can cause the final painting to crack and peel (Source 1).
→Focusing too much on literal likeness rather than the 'inner essence' or character of the subject (Source 3).
→Neglecting the eyes and eyebrows, which are crucial for conveying subtle emotions in portraiture (Source 3).
→Applying new layers before previous ones are dry, leading to muddied colors or structural instability (Source 1).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of Petros Malayan's 1979 Self Portrait (pose, clothing, background, exact color scheme) are not described in the sources.
·Petros Malayan's specific personal painting habits or unique stylistic quirks beyond general Expressionism are not detailed.
·The exact dimensions or aspect ratio of the original artwork are not provided.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques (Source 2)

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials, fat over lean rule, drying times, and application tools (Source 1, Source 4)
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 2 — applied to Focus on character, eyes, and eyebrows in portraiture (Source 3)
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to General composition principles like center of interest and avoiding bisection (Source 6)

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A bearded man gazes upward and to the left with an intense, contemplative expression, positioned in the upper-center of the composition. Strong raking light from the upper left creates dramatic shadows on the right side of his face and neck, making the illuminated left plane glow against the much darker surroundings. The background is turbulent and abstract—a complex weaving of dark blues, blacks, greens, and grays with visible vertical and diagonal marks that create visual noise and energy. The figure's clothing (light shirt with darker jacket) grounds him in the lower half, but the face is clearly the focus, lit almost as if the viewer's gaze itself is the light source.

value structure

Extreme value contrast dominates: the lightest lights are concentrated on the left side of the face and the shirt, while the background drops into very dark darks. The beard spans the full value range from dark shadow beneath the chin to lighter mid-tone ochre tones catching light. Squint and you'll see three distinct zones: bright face, mid-tone clothing, dark chaotic background. The narrow value bridge is in the beard and face shadows where warm medium-darks transition the eye between the lit face and the surrounding darkness.

observed palette and mixes

#c3bca6
Titanium White + Raw Sienna
Highlighted portions of the face, left cheek, forehead, neck, and the light shirt
#a79f80
Raw Sienna + Titanium White + touch of Ultramarine
Mid-tone skin, the shadow side of the face, and ochre notes in the clothing
#8c8163
Raw Sienna + Burnt Umber + Ultramarine
Beard, deep shadows on the face, and warm darks in the clothing folds
#6c7064
Ultramarine + Burnt Sienna + Titanium White
Mid-tone background elements and gray-green areas in the abstract background
#4d4c3d
Ultramarine + Burnt Umber + touch of Viridian
Dark background passages, shadow beneath the chin, and deep clothing shadows
#1d201e
Ultramarine + Burnt Umber + touch of Viridian (nearly pure pigment)
Deepest background darks on the right, the most recessed areas, and accent lines defining features

edges and brushwork

Edges are predominantly soft and lost throughout—the silhouette of the head dissolves into the background rather than cutting sharply. Brushwork is gestural and visible; every stroke reads as a deliberate mark, not blended away. Strokes follow the contours loosely (cheekbone, beard direction) but maintain their independence, creating a sense of movement and energy rather than photographic precision. The background is particularly loose with vertical and diagonal marks that seem almost abstract, contrasting beautifully with the slightly more resolved face.

a working sequence

01
Block in the dark background structure
Mix a rich dark using Ultramarine, Burnt Umber, and Viridian. Loosely block in the right side and upper background with gestural vertical strokes—don't aim for evenness. Leave the area where the face and neck will sit untouched. Vary your darks slightly so some areas lean more blue, others more green-gray. Work freely; this sets an energetic foundation.
02
Establish the face mass and basic value zones
Mix a warm light tone (Titanium White + Raw Sienna + touch of Ultramarine). Block in the entire head and neck as a unified light mass. You're establishing the brightest plane, not drawing features yet. Notice how the left side (facing the light) is warmer and lighter; the right side (shadow side) will be cooler and darker. Squint to check your value separation from the background.
03
Model the shadow planes of the face
Using a mix of Raw Sienna + Burnt Umber + Ultramarine (the medium-dark warm tone), paint the shadow side of the face, the right cheek, and the shadow beneath the chin. Notice how these shadows define the form—the cheekbone's prominence, the jaw's angle. Keep edges soft; let the shadow blend subtly into the light. This is where the face gains dimension.
04
Block in the beard and facial hair
The beard is crucial to likeness here. Using dark warm mixtures (Burnt Umber + Ultramarine + touch of Raw Sienna), suggest the beard's general shape and shadow pattern. It sweeps downward and obscures much of the lower face. Use visible, directional strokes following the hair's growth—not smooth rendering. Leave some of the lighter skin tone showing through in places where the light catches individual hairs.
05
Paint the clothing and establish the lower composition
Block in the shirt with a light warm tone similar to the face highlights. Add the darker jacket or vest with medium-dark warm browns. The clothing anchors the composition and frames the head. Keep these areas loose—don't overwork details. Notice the ochre-yellow cast in parts of the shirt; layer this on top for richness.
06
Refine the gaze and facial features
The eyes are small but intensely expressive. Using very dark pigment (near-black), suggest the eyes looking upward-left with sharp, minimal marks. Add the nose as a simple shadow break, the mouth suggested beneath the beard. Don't overstate—this is an expressionist portrait, not a detailed rendering. The beard actually conceals most of the mouth anyway. The intensity comes from the eyes and the overall value contrast.
07
Layer and harmonize values across the whole
Step back and squint. Is your dark background as dark as the reference? Does the face read as luminous? Add another layer of darker background if needed, pushing the right side even darker. Warm up the face highlights with more Raw Sienna if they feel too pale or cool. Strengthen shadows in the beard. Work across the whole painting, not isolated areas—this keeps it cohesive.
08
Final edges and expressive finishing
Use a dry brush or directional strokes to suggest definition where the face meets the background—not a hard line, but an energetic edge that shows handling. Add final accent marks in the background (vertical strokes, color shifts) to reinvigorate the abstract energy there. Check that the beard reads clearly against both the light shirt beneath and the face shadow. Trust the loose handling; don't smooth things that shouldn't be smooth.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Making the background too flat or uniform—it needs to feel active and complex, with visible varied strokes and color shifts between blues, greens, and grays. Expressionism thrives on this visual restlessness.
Over-refining the face and losing the gestural, loose quality that unifies the whole painting. The face should feel painted, not photographically rendered. Resist the urge to blend edges smooth.
Failing to achieve sufficient value contrast between face and background—this is what makes the head emerge. If your background isn't dark enough or your face isn't light enough, the entire composition collapses.
Making the gaze passive or too soft. The eyes and brow direction carry the contemplative intensity here. Study the subtle asymmetry and the upward-left focus; a generic portrait gaze will break the likeness.
Pushing the skin tones too orange or too pink. The warmth is earthy (ochres and raw sienna) with blue-gray shadows, not ruddy. The palette leans toward burnished earth tones, not flushed flesh tones.

measured difficulty