plate no. 9996

Self-portrait Wearing Cap

Lajos Tihanyi, 1910

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitfigurecapfaceheadprofile

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and using visible brushstrokes to create form and texture. It also provides practice in capturing a likeness and conveying a mood through subtle expression.

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 of the head, cap, and background.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones, mixing a range of warm and cool colors.
step 04
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the subtle variations in value and color.
step 05
Paint the cap, using darker blues and blacks to create depth and form.
step 06
Add details to the background, using loose brushstrokes to suggest texture and form.
step 07
Refine the edges and details of the portrait, using small brushes to add highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · raw umber · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of cadmium red with white. Use ultramarine blue and black to create the dark blues of the cap. Raw umber can be used to create the neutral background.

techniques

·color mixing
·portrait sketching
·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Focusing too much on detail too early in the process.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in value and color.
→Getting the proportions wrong in the initial sketch.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, titanium white, raw umber, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags