plate no. 1420

Self Portrait

oilRomanticismself-portraitportraitmanfaceclothingself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand chiaroscuro and how to create form using subtle value changes. It also provides practice in portrait proportions and capturing a likeness.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a mid-tone brown.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and clothing.
step 03
Block in the darkest areas of the background and clothing using a dark brown or black.
step 04
Begin to establish the light areas on the face, using a mix of white, ochre, and a touch of red.
step 05
Gradually build up the form of the face by layering and blending different values.
step 06
Pay close attention to the highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, being careful to maintain the correct proportions.
step 08
Refine the details of the clothing and background, adding subtle variations in color and texture.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · titanium white · cadmium red light

Mix white with ochre and a touch of red for the skin tones. Use raw umber and ivory black for the dark areas, adding burnt sienna for warmth. Achieve subtle value changes by gradually adding white or black to your base colors.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·portrait proportions

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Making the skin tones too flat or uniform.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of form.
→Failing to create enough contrast between the light and dark areas.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red light)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil