Reference + Oil Portrait Painting Procedure
There are many approaches to building a good portrait oil painting. I usually prefer that of the Old Masters myself.
Although I use photography for my references so that people (especially children) don’t have to sit around, the following technique is straight from the 1600’s: Looking at my references I draw them out on the canvas. After that comes a wash of thin brown and white oil paint to establish the tones (lights and darks) of the composition. Then a layer of thicker paint, but still in the monochrome palette. When I did the painting that I am showing here, I actually kept painting in brown and white until all the details were figured out. Other times in other paintings, I skip to color way before the getting to the details. As a picture is worth all those thousands of words, here you go—the reference photo plus 3 stages of “brown and white”.
You can see the final color painting in my last blog entry, titled “Children’s Portrait: Two Little Angels“.
My Cousin Norman Rockwell used the idea behind this technique in a different way to make his Saturday Evening Post Covers. He sketched out his ideas in charcoal on paper—in great detail— to establish the arrangement and the tonal values (lights and darks). After doing that, he made a color sketch in oil on canvas. Then finally he made the final oil painting on a different canvas.
You’ll call me for your portrait, won’t you? The number is 800-729-6084. Email: info101@rockwellportraits.com. Visit my website. When you get there, be sure to join my newsletter at the top right of the page.
Talk at ya soon!
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