Painting Portrait Tips / Lots of information about how to paint a portrait
A quick approach wet-in-wet.
Since the beginning of this year, we meet every Tuesday afternoon in my studio to work with live models. We, that is to say, a few fellow artists and me. We start at 17:00 and usually work for two hours. In between sittings we have a short tea break. Our models are people from the neighborhood. The goal is not to create beautiful portraits but to be engaged as an athlete trains and a pianist does his exercises. See also here. And here.
3 Check the portrait at twilight.
People always think that the lighting in a painters studio should be abundant. However in some cases, the opposite is true. A few times scarce lighting is very welcome. When I want to check an almost finished portrait I switch off the lights in my studio to see the portrait at semidarkness. Then I notice other differences in hues and values than I’d seen in full lighting.
See also this article on studio lighting.
2 Use a mirror
Working for long periods of time on a portrait without a break can be tricky. First, unwittingly, you become tired. In the beginning you make key decisions, but after a while your concentration certainly decreases. Secondly, the portrait resembles more and more itself: namely the image that has been built up in your mind. It is therefore important that your perception remains fresh. Take a little break every so often. A great tool here also is the use of a mirror. Hold the mirror in such a position that you see simultaneously your model (or photo) and your canvas. You will be very surprised what you see: the same image but completely different.
See me in this video using the mirror. 3:38
Every portrait painter knows this: A portrait is finished, it looks nice but the resemblance is not quite right (or not at all) Conclusion: there is something wrong. But where is the rub? Perhaps it would be the eyes or the mouth, maybe the nose? You are peering & correcting, but an acceptable similarity is not coming into sight. Even worse: all your efforts are jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire. What do you do? Probably despair first. But as you can learn how to get started, you can also learn how to finish a portrait. I will pay attention to this issue here and in future blog posts. There is a number of ways to assess the likeness of a nearly finished portrait.
Here are some tricks you can think of:
1 Take off your glasses.
2 Use a mirror.
3 Check the portrait at twilight.
4 Use transparent paper.
5 Use the computer.
1 Take off your glasses
The portrait is not quite right, however you are absolutely sure all points of reference are in the correct position. Remember that it could also be that the curves are not in the right spot. In particular, the roundness of the cheeks. Up to what point are they exposed to the light, where does the shadow start? I often take off my glasses to see everything a little blurry. I perceive no details, only large shapes. And it works! It’s an amazing trick to find inaccuracies related to curves. “Yes, but I don´t wear glasses” you’ll say. OK. Borrow a pair of your granny´s specs, and put them on! Same effect.
Next time: Using a mirror.