Portrait painting is a delicate balance of observation, technique, and patience. In this article, I’ll walk you through my process of creating a portrait, sharing key insights and practical tips that can help art students and portrait enthusiasts refine their skills. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve, these lessons will guide you in capturing the essence of your subject.
1. Starting with the Basics: Simplifying Complex Forms
Every portrait begins with a blank canvas and a vision. To tackle the complexity of the human face, I start by breaking it down into simple shapes. For this portrait, I began by sketching the forehead as a triangle. This approach helps establish proportions and placement before diving into details.
When painting a baby, I pay close attention to unique facial proportions—eyes are lower, and the head is larger relative to the face. Measuring carefully and using my brush as a guide ensures the center line is balanced. These foundational details are crucial for creating a lifelike portrait.
2. The Power of Squinting: Seeing Values and Shapes
Throughout the process, I squint my eyes—a habit I’ve developed to simplify what I see. Squinting helps me focus on values and shapes, stripping away unnecessary details. It’s a trick I highly recommend to students. By training your eye to see the big picture first, you can avoid getting lost in the minutiae.
For example, when painting the baby’s face, I squinted to identify the lightest highlights and darkest shadows. This allowed me to create a sense of volume and roundness, essential for bringing the portrait to life.
3. The Classical Approach: Underpainting and Layering
One of my favorite techniques is underpainting with green. This classical method, often used by the Old Masters, creates a luminous base that adds depth to the final piece. As I layered the paint, I aimed for a museum-like quality—soft edges, rich tones, and a timeless feel.
For skin tones, I mixed burnt umber, cadmium red, and yellow, gradually building up the layers. The goal was to achieve a translucent effect, allowing the green undertones to subtly shine through. This technique requires patience and a keen eye for color harmony, but the results are worth it.
4. Refining the Details: Drawing and Painting Simultaneously
As I progressed, I switched between drawing and painting modes. Using a fine liner brush, I refined the features, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth. The key is to simplify what you see—focus on shapes and values rather than getting bogged down by details.
For the eyes, I used pure black for the pupils and added subtle highlights to create depth. The nose and mouth were shaped using simple forms, with careful attention to light and shadow. This step-by-step approach ensures accuracy and likeness.
5. The Importance of Softness: Blending and Transitions
Soft edges are crucial for achieving a lifelike appearance. I used a clean brush to blend the colors, creating smooth transitions between light and shadow. This step is especially important for areas like the cheeks and chin, where the skin should appear soft and natural.
I also paid close attention to the lightest highlights, placing them on the tip of the nose and the cheeks. These subtle touches added warmth and dimension to the face. Remember, portrait painting is about balance—knowing when to add detail and when to step back.
6. Final Touches: Adjusting Values and Perfecting Likeness
As I neared the end of the painting, I stepped back to assess the overall composition. Using Photoshop, I compared my painting to the reference photo, identifying areas that needed adjustment. Darkening the shadows and adding more light to the highlights helped refine the likeness.
The final touches included softening edges, adding subtle details to the eyes, and adjusting the background to complement the portrait. These small changes made a big difference, bringing the painting to life.
7. Lessons from the Studio: Patience and Practice
Portrait painting is a journey of patience and practice. It’s about embracing the process, learning from mistakes, and continually refining your skills. As I worked on this portrait, I was reminded of the importance of observation, technique, and perseverance.
To all the art students and portrait enthusiasts reading this, I encourage you to keep practicing. Experiment with techniques, learn from your mistakes, and never stop creating. Every brushstroke is a step forward in your artistic journey.
Conclusion: Art as a Journey
Painting is more than just a skill; it’s a way of seeing the world. It’s about finding beauty in the ordinary, turning mistakes into opportunities, and sharing stories through your work. Whether you’re painting a portrait or exploring other subjects, remember that every piece you create is a reflection of your unique perspective.
Keep painting, keep learning, and most importantly, enjoy the process.