plate no. 1325

Senecio

Paul Klee, 1922

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfacegeometricabstractheadeyes

some experience helpful

Students will develop skills in geometric simplification of forms and understanding how to use flat color areas to create dimensional effects. This work teaches the balance between abstraction and representation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light pencil sketch of the basic head shape as a circle
step 02
Map out the geometric divisions of the face using simple lines
step 03
Block in the background with warm ochre and orange tones
step 04
Paint the face base color in pale yellow-green
step 05
Add the geometric facial features with flat color shapes
step 06
Define the eyes, nose, and mouth with precise geometric forms
step 07
Apply the hair area in darker earth tones
step 08
Refine edges and add subtle color transitions where forms meet

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · mars black · viridian green

Mix warm flesh tones by combining yellow ochre with small amounts of cadmium red and white. Create the background warmth by blending burnt sienna with yellow ochre.

techniques