Portrait
Painting in Acrylics
The
Colors of the Skin
The
actual size detail above gives a close-up view of
the painting technique used for the skin color.
A
variety of small brushstrokes using stippling (paint
applied in dots) and smudging techniques is used
throughout the painting of the skin. Stippling gives
you the greatest control over the distribution of
color when applying paint over larger areas such as
the cheeks.
The
tones, colors and textures of the skin are all built
up in thin layered glazes of paint applied over the
flesh toned underpainting. Transparent glazes of burnt
sienna (occasionally darkened with prussian blue)
and napthol crimson are used for the darker tones
and colors, while more opaque glazes of titanium white
are used to create the highlights on the skin.
After
underpainting the face with a mid-tone flesh color,
there are three distinct steps that should be
followed in painting the skin:
NB.
The skin should be painted over the hairline
so that no gaps remain once the hair is completed.
Step
1 - The Dark Tones
The
Dark Tones : these are applied with a burnt sienna
glaze over the flesh colored underpainting. A variety
of small brushstrokes, stippling and smudging is used
to render the form of the face.
Step
2 - The Light Tones
The
Light Tones : these are applied with a glaze of
titanium white to enhance the existing form and to add
some texture by suggesting traces of perspiration or
oily skin. Note also how the form of the lips is completed
with skin tones before any color is added to redden
them. A variety of small brushstrokes, stippling and
smudging is also used for the light tones.
Step
3 - Refining Tone, Color and Texture
Refining
Tone, Color and Texture: in the final stage of
painting the skin, warmer scarlet and napthol crimson
glazes are used to suggest the blush of the cheeks,
lips and subtle variations in the complexion.
The
dark and light tones applied in the first two stages
are finally heightened for dramatic effect by increasing
their contrast and smoothing out any irregularities
in their paint surface.
Our
lesson on pencil
portraits
should help you with drawing the
nose and mouth.
