How to paint an oil portrait

Thursday, 21 December, 2017

The oil is certainly the most complete of the techniques that allows to obtain extraordinary effects of brightness, brilliance, soft and expressive chiaroscuro passages. 
The long drying times of the pigments allow me to work calmly, finish, smoke, create overlapping color.

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Before starting an oil painting
I always observe the subject for a long time,
live and from different photos,
I study well the features, the shapes,
the colors, the lights.
I make several preparatory sketches in which
I already work to obtain the resemblance to the subject,
to grasp the look and the expression.
 

 

 

At the beginning I draw on the canvas with brusht
the main elements of the face 
maintaining the right proportions: 
eyebrows, eyes, nose, ears and mouth, 
facial features and hair.
Proceed reviewing and defining these signs 
using the brush with the burnt shadow earth 
that mix with cobalt blue or green bladder 
for the shaded areas.



 


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I paint the light areas of the face 
using pure titanium white. 
For the complexion I use different mixtures: 
burnt sienna earth, with natural sienna and titanium white earth, 
or venetian red, yellow ocher and titanium white, 
or cadmium orange, yellow ocher and titanium white. 
To obtain pink cheeks I use the burnt sienna earth 
mixed with titanium white. 
 

 

For the lips I use the earth of burnt sienna r
and titanium white to obtain a silvery-pink effect, 
Venetian red and titanium white for a natural effect: 
to obtain a warmer effect add cadmium scarlet, 
for a colder effect the crimson of alizarin mixed with white.

 

 

 

 

 

At last I define the details of the face, r
of the clothing, the background.