plate no. 8709

Sir Arthur Bryan

John Bratby, 1980

oilExpressionismportraitportraitfiguremanfaceclothingexpressionism

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to capture form and emotion. It also practices layering and building texture with paint.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the portrait on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of color, focusing on the overall color scheme.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the face with corresponding colors, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Start building up the texture with thick, visible brushstrokes, using a variety of colors to define the form.
step 05
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, using smaller brushstrokes and more precise color placement.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, using similar expressive brushstrokes and color variations.
step 07
Adjust the overall composition and color balance, adding highlights and shadows as needed.
step 08
Allow the painting to dry completely and apply a varnish for protection and to enhance the colors.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw umber

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white, with small amounts of red and blue for shadows. Greens are created by mixing blue and yellow.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·expressive brushwork
·color layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, which can result in a muddy appearance.
→Not using enough paint, which can make the painting look thin and flat.
→Focusing too much on detail in the early stages, which can inhibit the expressive quality.
→Ignoring the overall color harmony, which can lead to a disjointed composition.