plate no. 2018

Self-Portrait with red scarf

Antonio Ligabue, 1956

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)self-portraitportraitfigurescarfgrassskyself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and understanding how to use color to create form and texture. It also encourages simplification of complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the head, shoulders, and background elements.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: skin tones, hair, scarf, jacket, sky, and grass.
step 03
Start adding details to the face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 04
Develop the texture of the hair and beard using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 05
Refine the background with expressive strokes to suggest grass and sky.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Pay attention to the color relationships between the different elements.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cerulean blue · cadmium red

secondary · sap green · titanium white

Mix yellow ochre with burnt umber for skin tones, varying the ratio for highlights and shadows. Use cerulean blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of green for variation. Mix cadmium red with a touch of burnt umber for the scarf shadows.

techniques