plate no. 9310

Unfinished self-portrait

oilRealismself-portraitportraitmanfacebeardhairself-portrait

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand value relationships in portraiture and how to create depth using a limited palette. It will also develop skills in loose, expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a mid-tone brown.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic proportions and placement of the face.
step 03
Block in the darkest areas of the hair and background with a dark brown.
step 04
Establish the lightest areas of the face with a light ochre or yellow ochre.
step 05
Begin blending the light and dark areas of the face, paying attention to the subtle value changes.
step 06
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, focusing on capturing the likeness.
step 07
Refine the edges of the hair and beard, using loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · ivory black

secondary · burnt sienna

Mix yellow ochre with raw umber to create the skin tones. Use ivory black to darken the shadows and create the hair. Burnt sienna can be used to add warmth to the skin tones.

techniques

·value study
·limited palette
·blending
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Failing to establish a strong value contrast, making the portrait appear muddy.
→Getting lost in details too early, before establishing the overall form.
→Using too much paint, which can make the painting look overworked.