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Learn To Paint A Portrait - Little Girl English
Learn To Paint A Portrait - Little Girl English
Ben Lustenhouwer
An explanation in pdf format accompanying the video tutorial Portrait of a little girl.
In a concise form the text will follow the narrative on the video.
This document can be viewed on any device, and can also be printed.
PAINTING
PORTRAIT
TIPS.COM
Photography
For me, it is vitally important that when using a
photograph to paint from I take it myself and that it is
o f g o o d q u a l i t y. Ty p i c a l l y, I w i l l t a ke s e v e r a l
photographs of the subject, for "Portrait of a Little
Girl" I made a total of sixty from which I selected one.
To create contrast between the subject and the
background I decided to place her in front of a
window. I used an umbrella flash light on a tripod,
situated to the right of the girls head at a distance of
approximately 180 cm. and a height of (70.8 inch). I set
my digital camera to RAW format. This ensures I have
maximum flexibility in altering colour, contrast and
any other visual values I may wish to play with. This is
achieved using Photoshop. I always crop the image to
the same aspect ratio of the canvas upon which I
intend to make the painting and I will adjust the image
and printer settings until I achieve a print I am
entirely satisfied with.
Here is the equipment I use:
Camera: Canon 5D, on a tripod.
Flash: Speedlite 580 EX + Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2.
Printer: Epson Stylus PHOTO R 2400.
Paper: Premium Glossy Photo Paper.
Video
part 1
The canvas.
Before the canvas can be even
sketched on, the linen has to
be well prepared. Linen
straight from the shop even if
sold as pre primed is not
sufficient for a good result
often sucking the oil from the
paint and preventing it from
flowing. Therefore, apply at
least three extra layers of gesso.
Watch video
Colour pencil
The drawing
Parto de una buena fotografa que hago yo mismo.
Esta es para m una condicin fundamental.
into a grid.
* Using tracing paper. Trace the photograph on
Cmara:
Canon 5D,paper.
en un trpode.
thin
transparent
Rub the back with
charcoal, turn the paper over and lay it gently
Flash: flash Speedlite 580 EX + Speedlite Transmion the canvas. Trace the drawing again, so that
tter ST-E2.
the charcoal line is pressed on the linen.
* Impresoras:
Copying the
image
on Photo
the canvas
simply by
Epson
Stylus
R 2400.
observation.
Papel: Papel fotogrfico Premium Glossy.
Watch video
I generally recommend you fix the red pencil
drawing with a thin application of fixative
spray with a shellac / alcohol solution.
The underpainting
The purpose of underpainting is to capture the drawing and retrace basic forms and features of the
face. In a simple statement I will start to set tonal values. With great care I set the main marker points
for the face, paying particular attention to the corners of the eyes, the eyelashes, the nostrils and the
corners of the mouth. This visual groundwork is vital because if, as the layers of paint build up, I start
to get lost, I can simply scrape it back or lift it o with pallet knife to reveal my underpainting.
I use acrylics for the underpainting because it dries immediately. And at the same time it fixes my
pencil drawing without the need to spray an extra layer of fixative in advance.
An alternative way is to do the underpainting in oil but you will have to wait at least a day for it to dry
completely.
I use raw siena for the underpainting as it complements the flesh tones and is not too dark.
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Video
part 2
Watch video
Brushes
Video part 3
Video part 4
Video part 5
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Video part 6
Video part 7
Video part 8
In a painting you always have active and passive zones. I describe the active zone part of the
portrait as the part to which the viewers attention is naturally drawn. To achieve this the area
is well defined and crisp. On the other hand,
the passive zone should recede from the
viewers attention and will tend to be both "softer" with less defined edges and subtler colour
values. In my portraits I almost always want to
draw the maximum attention to the eyes.
The mouth is the second in this order of attention. As discussed the background is generally
a passive zone but I nevertheless pay attention
to making attractive brushwork. It is worth noting that I take care to ensure there is a soft
connection between the background and the
subjects hair, I want to avoid hard edges here!
19
Video part 9
Video part 10
Video part 11
Finishing procedure
20
Video part 12
Video part 13
Come to an end
21
Warm-cool contrast.
If you cannot identify a colour in a shadow think of this often applicable rule: Lights are cool,
shadows are warm, deep shadows are hot.
Ben Lustenhouwer
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