Painting classes (portrait) Oil

I begin by looking for a good subject! Frances is obviously (?) The ideal subject. I have a lot of her pictures. But the pictures do not make a good picture! I am searching for a picture that fits: and voila a good start!

Now, what size for the final picture? Too big is not nice, too small, it may be too difficult: a portrait, not mine, it has a plethora of details invisible. I decided on a canvas of 50x60 cm, which give a picture a bit bigger than actual size.

Now, color. Warning: the biggest mistake that beginners can do is to have tubes of color "flesh". The flesh color is anything but "flesh". You will see that my picture has lots of colors. But for my basic palette, I only titanium white from black, ultramarine blue, red (vermilion and carmine), cadmium yellow ... and that's it! Yeah, the other color is on my palette as I get it, by mixing these primary colors equivalents.

Well, let's go

First stage (2h):

So let me say at once that I was pretty freaked out by starting the portrait, so that I did what not to do: I started directly without making a "bottom" on the web. And besides, I drew in pencil on the canvas. And when, I recrossed the lines with white brush ... yuck, that drool! But at least, the white paint "fixed" the pencil.

So, contrary to appearances, I did not use black to make the design above cons: only white! The black one is the pencil ...

Note that it is not terrible ... The right eye looks too high and the mouth is horrible. But patience ... In the oil painting, which is good is that you can always edit everything? We will see this.

Step 2 (1:30)

Well I thought that perhaps the left eye (right image) was perhaps not too high in fact but rather that it was the shape of the eyebrow went wrong. I corrected the brush with black ... and bingo, it's much better.

So, I added some color, starting at the bottom, I made very dark, for an effect of chiaroscuro. Attention is not the dark, but a mix (in varying proportions) of dark blue and crimson. At this stage I only diluted with turpentine, the oil, it will be the latest (always paint fat over lean!)

I corrected the shape of the mouth. It's getting more like ...

Step 3 (2h)

I add some very thin layers of color on her face and hair (bright spots are due to flash, they are not on the painting).

Much work on the eyes. I added the black pupils drawn eyelashes, painted in blue iris and white.

My also darkened the outer teeth. Suddenly, the mouth seems too small.

The shape of the nose is wrong, as well as the chin too square. But all this can be rectified later.

Step 4 (1h)

It continues the background top right. It allows me to touch up the hair, because a color is always assessed in relation to those around him. Along the same lines, I painted the neck, then I touch the chin shape, and painted with white tinged with yellow, the wrist.

I worked the ear. At this stage it is another story. I galley ... The nose does not always, the smile is not good, the mouth seems to me wrong ... I panic!

Well, the right eye (left) is good. That's something.

Step 5 (1h)

I began to put oil in my paint for the background and hair. For the rest, I'm always turpentine.

I continue to work through the eyes a very light touch of black on certain points around the iris, and working eyelashes.

I soften the chin ... is much better. The smile does not yet, ditto for the nose. I discover later that it is linked, in fact.

Start of bringing color of the hand. Its shape is not very natural ...

Step 6 (1h)

That did not appear but there are a lot of changes!

I "down" a little background, I delete a earrings and I replace its true location (for the moment is just a speck) I touch the nose (which is always twisted because it is too late in fact), I broadened the mouth with a coat of black, try to correct the color of the lips, but it is another story. A little color around the face, in very thin layers. I put the blue on the forehead under the hair on the left, and brown (red + blue + white, especially a solid color) to the right.

I corrected the upper hand, its shape is now OK.

Step 7 (30 minutes)

What I did, there were barely see the changes.

Well, I know!

A step back to critique: OK, It starts to look like Frances. But the complexion of the face is too pink, too bland. You can not see the light! How do I could forget that Light is the base! It does not paint with color, you must paint the light, nothing but light!

Step 8 (1h)

Here, many changes: work on colors and light. I put the yellow. Be very blunder with Cadmium Yellow. It is the only yellow that I used because it is the only one that actually covers. But be careful, precisely, covers too! it must be diluted. I test on a sheet of paper before applying to the canvas.

I also completely reworked the hair, very black, but also a little red and blue (not mixed, pure color). For the first, a little oil diluted.

I also regained a little background.

Step 9 (1h)

A little color on the upper cheeks, chin, and above all ... Nose: I broaden wings, I completely takes the left nostril (right on the picture). I also take up the hair along the ear and neck.

The right eye is perfect, the wrinkles under his left eye will not.

Tiny detail, a white dot on the black earring top, which shines like a diamond ..

Step 10 (30 minutes)

It overshadowed the merits, we repainted the neck, one touch facial contours, we try to work a smile.

The ear is too light, I darkened with small touches of black and crimson.

The face is almost finished. It is time to make the bottom of the table

Step 11 (1h)

Ooh la la! It seemed simple, like "last step". Nope. Make the frilly scarf that protrudes from the sleeve, which galley! The above, Francoise arrives and says "it is not blue, my scarf, it is turquoise. Should we do more green.

Okay, I start again. Hundred times the job ...

Final stage (3h)

Well, we end the bottom surface darkens the ear, it adds a bit of red on the fingers of one hand, one touch (a little) nose ... and I sign!

Finished! Phew! I'm proud of myself. Compare with the photo: It's like, no?