A Comprehensive Guide to Learning Portrait Oil Painting

Introduction to Portrait Making in Oil Painting

To learn portrait making in oil painting, consider taking classes or workshops, studying portrait painting books, and practicing regularly. Analyze the work of master portrait painters and seek feedback from experienced artists. This guide will walk you through the principles and techniques essential for mastering oil portrait painting.

Principles and Techniques for Oil Portrait Painting

Proportions and Structure

Constantly recheck and adjust your proportions. Whether you begin with an under-drawing, under-painting, or directly on the canvas, if your basic structures of the face or body are anatomically inaccurate, or the features are not the same relative size and position as your model, your image will look warped and you will lose some of the likeness.

Defeat the Enemy

One of my teachers quoted the American Western painter Frederic Remington as having called the white canvas 'the enemy.' A blank white canvas can intimidate and skew your perception of color. Laying down a quick thin layer of approximate colors over the whole canvas first can help the painting process go more smoothly. However, note that this won't work well if you are 'glazing' in the Pre-Raphaelite manner. This is just one technique that has helped me significantly.

Fat Over Lean

Oils are fats, so the principle of 'fat over lean' is crucial to avoid cracking over time. Because oil paint dries very slowly, outer layers can dry more quickly than inner layers. Paint with less oil in your under-layers and progressively more oil in your pigments as you complete details. This principle will prevent the painting from cracking.

Punch in the Darks

Dark and light values are essential for realism. Not literally! Punching canvases and wooden panels is not advised, but you can make the dark parts of your painting truly and appropriately dark. A lot of beginning artists are timid and make their work too light, making it difficult to see from a distance or prone to premature fading.

Mix Your Colors

Paints straight from the tube are ingredients meant to make your actual colors. Practice mixing the colors to match what you see in your model or source picture. This will help you achieve the desired realism.

Give 'em Some Blush

Where skin is stretched over bone, you see the blood vessels better. Add a brush of crimson to areas like where the cheekbones cause the turn of the face or where the nose bridge is defined. Living human skin tones have blood, so this is not reserved for just one tone.

Shadows and Highlighting

Shadows are not black, and teeth are not white. Shadows are just cooler, darker shades of the flesh tone. Teeth are usually a creamy color, only showing bright white on highlighted points. Aim for color temperature in your shadows and highlights.

Unique Techniques and Tips

Don’t Eat the Paint

The pigments often have toxic components. Do not lick your brush or taste the white paint. Accidents can happen, so make sure to clean your brushes and tools after each session. Store your tools properly to ensure they last.

Take Care of Your Tools and Storage

Clean your brushes, knives, mahl sticks, pallettes, and any other tools you use. Store your canvases and panels properly to avoid damage. This will save you money and frustration in the long run.

Continuous Practice and Learning

Practice is how you improve. While a degree can be helpful, self-taught artists can also teach themselves with observation and practice. Consider attending workshops, taking courses, or reading books like James Gurney’s Color and Light or Betty Edwards’s Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The key is to keep painting and practicing.

Conclusion

Painting portraits in oil can be a deeply rewarding experience. By mastering these principles and techniques, you can create stunning and lifelike portraits. Embrace the process, enjoy the journey, and keep practicing to improve. Good luck on your journey to become a skilled portrait oil painter!