plate no. 2583

Self-portrait with a pipe

Andre Derain, 1953

oilExpressionismself-portraitportraitfiguremanpipefaceself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and mood using expressive brushstrokes and a limited color palette. It also provides practice in understanding and applying chiaroscuro to create depth and form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head, shoulders, and pipe.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and shadows on the face using a dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the mid-tones on the face using a mix of browns, reds, and oranges.
step 04
Add highlights to the forehead, nose, and cheeks using lighter shades of the base colors, mixed with white.
step 05
Define the features of the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, with careful attention to detail.
step 06
Paint the pipe using a vibrant red, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 07
Refine the edges of the shapes and blend the colors to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final details, such as the hair and clothing, using expressive brushstrokes.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Mix browns and reds for the skin tones, adding white for highlights and black for shadows. Use cadmium red straight from the tube for the pipe. Mix black and umber for the background.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·expressive brushstrokes
·color mixing
·portraiture
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium red, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife