PAINT AT HOME
3
Start blocking in the main skin
tones. Use a mixture of Cadmium
Red, Yellow Ochre and Titanium
White, adding extra white for the
highlights and a little Ivory Black for
the shadows in the eye sockets and
under your nose, mouth and chin.
Work with a larger brush, such
as a size 6 filbert, to avoid the
temptation to go into detail and focus
on the larger masses of colours and
shapes. Squint your eyes to help
identify these masses too.4
Now begin to model the facial
features. Again, avoid thinking
in terms of details and focus instead
on the structure of the face – the eye
socket rather than the iris and pupil,
for example.
Use a smaller brush this time,
maybe a size 4, to stop from
overworking the painting. Establish
a little of the clothing too, keeping
the brushwork light and thin.5
As the painting develops, use
thicker applications of paint,
particularly in the lighter areas of the
head. As well as the warmer lamp
light, a second, cooler light source,
such as the natural light from awindow, can add contrast. To achieve
the cooler light, add very small
amounts of Ivory Black to Titanium
White to make a cold grey. This
balances the warmer reds and
oranges of your nose, lips and chin,
which can be made by using more
Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre and
a touch of Ivory Black.6
Use a size 3 flat brush with
pure Titanium White paint to
help sculpt and shape the edges of
your face. Soften some of the edges
that you can afford to “lose”, such
as the harder lines of the hair and
shoulders – doing so will create
a better sense of depth.Top tip
Struggling to see
tonal values? Squint
your eyes to simplify
what is in front
of you
(^35)
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