plate no. 2896

Young Man Wearing a Small Hat

Chaim Soutine, 1916

oil, canvasExpressionismportraitportraitfigurehatclothingman

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing form with color rather than precise lines. It also encourages experimentation with layering and blending.

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, hat, and body, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes of green and blue.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow on the face using a limited palette of skin tones.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the face, using short, expressive brushstrokes to define features.
step 05
Paint the hat and clothing, focusing on capturing the texture and folds with visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small, precise strokes.
step 07
Refine the background and blend the edges of the figure to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall composition.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Yellow ochre · Titanium white · Cadmium red

secondary · Viridian green · Burnt umber · Ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, cadmium red, and titanium white. Use Prussian blue and burnt umber to create dark shadows. Achieve greens by mixing yellow ochre and Prussian blue.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken color
·Expressive brushwork
·Layering
·Color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Using too many colors and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the proportions of the figure.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating form.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Yellow ochre, Titanium white, Cadmium red, Viridian green, Burnt umber, Ultramarine blue)
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags