I never use the normal black pencil for my underdrawing because the lead always will show through later, even years later. Using red coloured pencil is the solution to that problem although sometimes I use charcoal.
Painting Portrait Tips / Lots of information about how to paint a portrait
I usually use pastel pencils. I’m not sure if this will ever show through the paint, but I hope not. I doubt it becasue I usuallyuse a light gray color. Have you ever used pastel pencils? If so, what have been your results? By the way, I love your paintings. I’m an up and coming artist so I’m always trying to learn from various artists.
Hi Robert.
I don´t have experience with pastel pencils. The less the better and I don´t know what pastel will do.
Good luck.
Ben
Hi Robert.
I don´t have experience with pastel pencils. The less the better and I don´t know what pastel will do.
Good luck.
Ben
my question to you is that if i use charcoal for undersketching,would de fine charcoal dust get mixed with the paints while applying making the picture dull….??
my question to you is that if i use charcoal for undersketching,would de fine charcoal dust get mixed with the paints while applying making the picture dull….??
Hi Klein. Sorry for answering so late. The charcoal drawing can be fixed with shellac or fixing spray. See this tutorial where I did not fix the drawing at all and while painting the drawing disappears http://youtu.be/UrNXS86xXNI
Hello,
Could you please tell me where and when blue and green are used
in portraiture.
Thank you
Hi. I cannot tell you when and where. Try to detect in the face blues and greens.
Hi. I cannot tell you when and where. Try to detect in the face blues and greens.
Pls I’m new here,can I start my painting wit d light n bright colors?
Hi.
I always start with the darkest values, then the halftones, then the lights. That is far more easier than the other way around.
Good luck.
Ben
hi sir,
I am sunil and interested in painting….i specially draw portraits and usaually do pencil portrait….but i want to do water color and oil color portrait…..but how can i start it..because pencil portrait is different from oil and water color portarit…plz suggest me…
Hi Sunil,
As you say pencil is different from oil and water colour. But if you really want to continue, start with oil I would say. In oil you need an underpainting in the way I explain my method and that will help you to get started.
Kind regards.
Ben
how could I become a better painter? I only did one painting of a koi fish and I’ve always wanted to paint more and learn more about it
what I did was use charcoal and use a spray to keep the charcoal on and not wipe off and I painted it like a coloring book page. how could I make my paintings more realistic? and how should I start a portrait painting? draw it first on a canvas and paint it in? I don’t know what I’m doing for painting any suggestions?
Hi Darien. You ask a lot of questions. I cannot answer them so easily. Take a look at my tutorial. Maybe that will help you to get started.
Mr. Ben,
Your paintings are beautiful and so realistic, yet they each have a sense of originality. I admire your work and right now, I have a question. Should I start my portrait with a wash of very dilute paint or directly apply my acrylics (with a little water)? Do you have any other tips in beginning a portrait, in acrylic?
Hi Shanna.
I start with painting the acyrlic underpainting. I dilute the paint with water of course. In the video tutorial Portrait of a little boy I explain my technique step-by-step.
Mr. Ben,
Your paintings are beautiful and so realistic, yet they each have a sense of originality. I admire your work and right now, I have a question. Should I start my portrait with a wash of very dilute paint or directly apply my acrylics (with a little water)? Do you have any other tips in beginning a portrait, in acrylic?
Great tips, but can you enlighten me by refreshing my memory for making a retouch varnish. I remember something like damar varnish (?quantity) plus rectifide turpentime (?quantity). I would like to use the old-fashioned mouth-blowing gadget rather than a spray, as like you I have trouble using aerosol sprays. Love the portraits.
Kind regards,
Leila MacKinnon.
Hi Leila. Formula for retouching varnish: fifteen parts of turpentine to one part Damar resin. I never make it myself as I can get good stuff right from the shop. If you spray it with a mouth-blower be sure not to breath the vapors! I always apply the retouching varnish with a soft brush, once the painting is dry to the touch of course.
I noticed two measuring tools you used in doing a portrait that allowed you to
check the measurement of the photo to the drawing. One was a metal ‘stick’ with two pieces on it that moved to match the area measured. The other was a smaller tool.
I would love to know what they are and where to get them, as they looked very
effective and simple in checking measuremets.
Thank you so much for all that you do to help artists learn.
I noticed two measuring tools you used in doing a portrait that allowed you to
check the measurement of the photo to the drawing. One was a metal ‘stick’ with two pieces on it that moved to match the area measured. The other was a smaller tool.
I would love to know what they are and where to get them, as they looked very
effective and simple in checking measuremets.
Thank you so much for all that you do to help artists learn.
The measurement tool you see is a compass. This is a link where you can find more information http://www.ecobra.de/katalog/index.php?cPath=1_17&XTCsid=7289a43aacbaf6001e1b68a095ac480a
Hoi Ben, ik vind je schildertechnieken mooi en professioneel. Ik heb een vraag over verlichting, omdat ik op mijn zolder werk met slecht verlichting. Ik ben van plan om staande verlichting aan te schaffen (op driepoot) 5000 ‘a 5400k en achter mij neer te zetten, zodat dit licht vanaf een schuine hoek naar het canvas schijnt. Verdere verlichting laat ik dan uit. Denk jij dat dit oke is om op deze manier je werk te verlichten?
Hallo Gerdina.
Een verlichtingsbron zou zware slagschaduwen kunnen werpen. Dat zou je gewoon moeten proberen. De temperatuur lijkt mij prima.
Dank je wel voor je snelle response, dit vroeg ik eigenlijk omdat ik op zolder een dakraam op het oosten en westen heb. Dus qua natuurlijk licht is dit denk ik niet oke en moet dan deze dakramen blinderen denk ik. Dus ik dacht dat een optie een verlichting op driepoot zou zijn? Naar het topje van mijn plafond op zolder is ca. 2.50 en loopt daarvandaan aan beiden kanten schuin naar beneden. Dus dat is geen optie voor goede verlichting denk ik, omdat de zijwanden schuin lopen!
Het probleem is met daglicht dat als de zon direct binnen valt de omgeving te donker wordt.Een lichte, gesloten bewolking is ideaal, maar die is er niet altijd.
Ik zou als ik jou was een soort proef opstelling maken en kijken hoe het bevalt. Dan kun je die later definitief maken. Heb je goed gekeken naar mijn verlichting: een paar tl balken en daaronder een boog van transparant papier om het licht te verspreiden. Dat zou ook een oplossing kunnen zijn.
Hi Ben,
I am confused about the choice of canvas if you start with acrylic and then use oil paint on top. The canvases usually are prepped for either water based paint or oil paints. I have one of each. Which type of canvas do you use if you start with acrylic for the underpainting and then oil on top? I don’t want the paint to fall off over time.
Thanks!
Gladys
For the end result it will not matter at all. But it is difficult to paint acrylics on oil based linen. That is all. Nevertheless I would apply gesso before starting. No matter if you paint in acrylics or oils.
Hi Ben,
I am confused about the choice of canvas if you start with acrylic and then use oil paint on top. The canvases usually are prepped for either water based paint or oil paints. I have one of each. Which type of canvas do you use if you start with acrylic for the underpainting and then oil on top? I don’t want the paint to fall off over time.
Thanks!
Gladys
Hi Ben, I am a beginning painter. I use acrylic. I sketch with pencil then paint over with acrylic. For my next project, a portrait, I was thinking of using colored pencil to just lightly put some color before I finalize the portrait with acrylic. Is that ok to do? Does it affect the painting?
Thank you
The reason I draw with a red pencil Is the danger that produces the normal black grafite pencil. The black will appear after some time through the layers of oil paint. I think in acylics it does not affect so much, but have a try before.
Best.
Ben