plate no. 5547

Self-Portrait

Thomas Hart Benton, 1912

oilPost-Impressionismself-portraitportraitfiguremanclothingself-portraitface

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering form through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the form of the face, paying close attention to the subtle value changes.
step 04
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 05
Develop the clothing and background, using loose brushstrokes and muted colors.
step 06
Refine the edges and details, adding highlights and shadows as needed.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining black, umber, sienna, and white. Use small amounts of blue and yellow to create subtle color variations in the skin tones and background.

techniques