My Approach to Portrait Painting
Added 2018-10-25 19:24:45 +0000 UTCToday I decided to explain my approach to portrait painting because I believe some of you may find this useful.
The most common approach to painting portraits is painting from general to specific. In this case you begin a portrait with overall shapes and then develop them further going into smaller forms and details. And even though most portrait painters might agree on that general concept, they differ on how to put it into practice.
I do paint “from general to specific” but I go about it one area at a time. I don't like to spread colors or block out shapes too far (like the whole face at once for example.) I develop portraits gradually but of course I can return to those parts I've already worked on and adjust them further if I need to.
This way of painting seems to me more organized than the alternatives, especially when it comes to painting faces. I can be more loose and take much bigger areas to work with when I paint the rest of the body, clothes, etc.
That being said, I usually paint a portrait in 3 layers.
First layer is the most important one, it’s where I do most of the work!
Second one is where I can make small corrections, revise facial features and a face as a whole, and make sure I have the right proportions, symmetry and likeness.
And the 3rd one is glazing layer that helps to add a little more saturation or alter hues in certain areas. For example, I can add some blush to the cheeks, make the eye color more vibrant, make shadows warmer and so on.
That is all. Let me know if you’d like me to make a more detailed video about it!
Have an amazing day
Comments
Hello Mohamed, sure! I use soft-boxes as the main light source, and I also have some overhead lighting. I usually put the camera a little bit behind me (to the left) at an angle and zoom in on the canvas, also I put the softbox next to me on the left and I’m ready to film my painting process. The camera does get just I little bit in the way (or rather - I do get a little bit in front of it when I lean closer to the painting when I work on some very small details) but I usually cut those parts out of the video. Hope this helps!
Daria Callie
2021-03-03 07:31:02 +0000 UTCHello Daria I want to record my videos when I painting but I found many difficult when I put the camera to record can you explain how do you record your videos and your tools you are using to plz
Mohamed
2021-03-01 10:39:20 +0000 UTCI would also like to see more detail about your 3 layer approach. Thank you
Mimianne
2020-09-19 14:13:26 +0000 UTC
