plate no. 7405

Self Portrait

Valentin Khrushch, 1970

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitmanhatfacefiguremustache

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing likeness with expressive brushstrokes and understanding color temperature to create form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes into basic forms.

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 of the head, hat, and shoulders using a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the skin tones, the blue of the shirt, the browns of the background, and the grays of the hat.
step 03
Focus on establishing the light and shadow patterns on the face, using darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
step 04
Begin to add more detail to the facial features, paying attention to the proportions and angles.
step 05
Refine the brushwork, using short, expressive strokes to create texture and movement.
step 06
Add highlights to the hat and shirt to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 07
Adjust the colors and values as needed to create a cohesive and balanced composition.
step 08
Add final details and refine edges.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · black · raw sienna

Mix skin tones by combining yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create dark blues and grays. Add white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·alla prima
·broken color
·expressive brushwork
·color temperature
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Getting bogged down in details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the face.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags

optional

·medium gloss
·easel
·painting apron

Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) to allow for expressive brushwork. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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