How to Paint a Portrait in Oil: A Quick guide for beginners

• • You may use a proportional divider projector or carbon paper or manually make grids.

- This enables you to judge tones and swiftly shift your eye movements back and forth between both points of reference more naturally.

• Now, paint a mental portrait of what you want to see on your canvas. The drawing begins in your head before the canvas, so look at the image carefully, analyze the facial features, and choose the best angles to work with.

• When sketching, study their facial anatomy and follow a guided outline of the face not to throw off its proportions.
• Mark the points of shadow areas and highlights.
• Focus only on shapes instead of lines. Use a kneadable eraser to clean up dark spots, but don't worry too much about detail, as your focus should be on getting the most striking features outlined with a 2B pencil. Some artists prefer charcoal over pencil.
• Draw the shadow line (where no direct light hits the object), and have the darkest darks covered to give it more dimensionality.

• Block in the essential shapes where highlights and shadows fall (as you will modify this later). Find an average to work with instead of using the darkest of the dark or lightest of the light colors.
• To get the skin tone right, use a Zorn palette.

• A Zorn palette typically comprises four colors: Vermilion, Ivory Black, Flake White, and Yellow Ochre, but because of the unavailability of most of these colors today, replacements like French ultramarine, titanium white, alizarin crimson, and burnt umber are used to replicate various human skin tones since it can be adapted to suit all types. A limited palette like this one here enhances the balance and covers the entire tonal range.
• Remember to vary the proportions and play with the colors.

• (Raw umber may give dead spots: use burnt umber + blue)
• (**Windsor and newton student-grade quick drying oils chart + daler rowney chart**)
• Think of it as a color gradient, and feel free to intermix colors to get the right shade and intensity.

• Start with the eyes. Eyes give a lot of depth and character to the portrait. The whites of the eyes aren't pure white, so make sure to mix in ultramarine and ochre to make it more life-like. Paint both eyes side by side so the eye spacing is even and well-balanced.
• For Nose and lips: Analyze the planes of the Nose due to subtle value shifts and stick to warmer colors. For the lips, make the upper lip darker than the lower and soften the corners while using cooler colors.

• When painting a portrait, begin by using a small brush, then switch to a large one as you workest on the darkest areas by blocking in the darks using raw umber; work your way from the dark and keep your edges soft as hard edges are difficult to cover over when working with thin paint layers.
• Soften the shadows with a cotton rag or fingertips (but wash it off since it is toxic!)
• Separate your darkest tones from your mid tones and use a small brush to sharpen your shadows. Once all the darks are in, add mid tones and adjust the color according to skin tone; for cooling the tone, use ultramarine, and for warming it up, use crimson or yellow ochre. Use muted colors for skin tones and identify the three color zones of the face.
• e.g., The Nose and cheeks are redder (warmer), chin and jawline tend to be greyer (cooler); this helps you achieve a more realistic look.

• • Creating the paint medium: Mediums blend, smooth, and highlight. The right "lean mixture" of paint and solvent is needed to underpaint successfully, which we'll talk about in detail in the next step

- Create a medium by combining linseed oil with odorless mineral spirits (OMS) /gamsol in the ratio 1:4 (less is always more for linseed oil) in a separate container and mix it carefully.

- Now dip the brush in the medium and wipe off any excess with the cloth rag before using it.

• Underpainting enhances the depth of shadows in the upper parts of the painting.
• "Fat over lean" rule: Start by painting very thinly as this speeds up drying, allowing you to paint on top of the thin paint without the paint on the top-most layer cracking, obtaining the glaze finish. Do this by diluting the first layers and gradually reducing the dilution of paint in the subsequent layers.
• This step is crucial for defining the tonal values.
• Ease up on your brushwork and decide whether to go with complementary colors underpainting (colors opposite to each other on the color wheel), e.g.: (warm + cool) or (light + shadow) or monochrome underpainting, which utilizes neutral colors like raw or burnt umber.

• This is called layered painting, where every upper layer is "fatter" than before. Never use undiluted oil as a medium here as it makes the layer more elastic, making it prone to cracking.
• Block in your darkest darks (burnt umber) with your lightest lights (titanium white) to add depth. Faces light areas aren't pure white, so blend it out and mix white, alizarin crimson, burnt umber, and ochre yellow until you get your desired tone. Paint the palest colors on top to balance out the darkness of the shadows.
• Make it look neutral, and use the highlights (create a peachy tone and use a tiny bit to the light areas) to get the main features contoured. Step back and look at the painting. Analyze the planes of the Nose and mouth. Do this back and forth and make the necessary tweaks until it feels just right.
• You could also take a picture with your phone, edit it into a black-and-white monochrome and use it as a reference photo to your painting to see if the values match up. (Values refer to how light or dark your painting is). Squinting your eyes or using Photoshop can help you find the tonal value of your work.

• Add variations to tone and fill in the necessary details. Keep in mind the facial anatomy when doing this. Remember to work on the clothing details. Darken and lighten areas that needed to be darkened and lightened, respectively, to give form to the painting.
• "Cast" your shadows – give them dark edges and block the light source. This accentuates your shadows by bringing them to the surface and makes them more realistic. When refining, think of painting the face shapes instead of lines.
• Keep the reference image beside you as you define the eyes and creases around the chin, Nose, and mouth, and make adjustments if need be.

• Block in hair's dark parts before moving on to lighter parts. This enables you to spot areas that need more color. Try to see as many colors as you can in the hair. (Eg: green in red hair)
• Make soft gradual transitions to the hairline. Use mauve (ultramarine blue + crimson + white) for parts of hair exposed to light

• Make sure it complements the rest of the painting while not stealing the spotlight of the actual subject. (use varied tones of blue+ grey)
• Analyze the background and see whether to throw in greys and blues or leave the raw umber underpainting as background. Feel free to wipe off residual paint with a cloth and start over if you don't like the block you made.

• Now that the painting is nearing completion. Use paint straight from the tube; do not mix with any mediums. Use glaze to bring out the brilliance of the painting.
• Use Scumbling: opaque light colors are painted over dark underpaintings to achieve a textured blend. Freehand your oil portrait using a dry soft-bristle brush and to touch it up a notch, run the painting brush along the hard edges.
• When highlighting, use the Impasto technique.

Addition of a gradient layer

• Continue adding layers to your oil portrait painting until the desired result is obtained.
• Overlapping and layering the objects in your painting can add to the realism of your portrait painting.
• Painting the top lighter than the bottom adds more contrast and depth to your portrait.

• #1 Surface: An unprimed canvas is the culprit here, sucking in all the oil and dulling the overall quality of the painting. Add a few layers of gesso (acts as an absorbent and smoother) before beginning the painting process and smoothen it out.
• #2 Consistency: The consistency of the oil paint can be tricky, especially for beginners, since too much medium and too little oil leads to paint that is too watery/slippery, and too much oil and too little medium results in a very pasty combination. Avoid under or over-mixing. Remember: Practice makes perfect. Keep trying to get the hang of it.
• #3 Pigments: Combining opaque and transparent paints can pose a challenge. Blend in order from chromatically dark colors to lighter ones. Keep your colors separate and move your brush only in one direction.
• #4 Brushwork: Knowing when to use big and small paintbrushes. Big paintbrushes call for larger backgrounds with much going on in the painting, while smaller paintbrushes call for more intricate detail work.
• The big thick layers are painted over using a large quantity of paint, while smaller, subtler glazes need only a minute amount.
• Blend colors close together in tonal value (e.g., instead of mixing yellow and crimson, mix yellow, orange, and crimson to achieve the perfect blend)

a) Wet on Wet

• aka Alla prima (popularised by Bob Ross)
• Use a wet brush and (wet) paint.
• Apply wet paint on top of wet already layers instead of waiting for it to finish drying thoroughly.
• Helps finish oil paintings in one sitting
• This lends the painting both gradient and character to the finished portrait.

b) Dry on Wet

• Use a dry brush and (wet) paint. Make sure to wipe residual paint off the bristles before it dries, as you should only use it for evenly spreading the paint.
• (caution: it may over-blend, resulting in an unnatural, distorted finish, so be careful)

c) Wet on Dry: aka Scumbling

• This method intensifies the shades and is mainly used for deepening tones already achieved through wet on wet.
• Use a soft-bristle brush and opaque colors to lighten a region to the desired color. It gives more richness to the gradient.
• Always Scumble "light on top of dark."

d) Sfumato

• Here, edges of different colors and tones are blurred to blend into each other, resulting in a soft hazy finish.
• Soft edges are used for transitions between light and dark areas or different colors/tones.
• The softer the bristle brush, the smoother the transition.

e) Glazing:

• Here, thin layers of paint are painted over opaque backgrounds to achieve a glass-like finish.
• Be subtle: use invisible brushstrokes to make smooth, seamless color transitions.
• Follow the "thick over thin" rule here as well.

f) Impasto:

• Paint is thickly laid on with a palette knife here
• Follow swift broad brush strokes to add depth and contours.
• This method helps your portrait attain a 3-dimensional view

g) Chiaroscuro

• Bold and dramatic maneuvering of lights and shadows to add volume and depth to the portrait
• Work your way from the darks to the lights

• • The oil portrait painting has to be completely dry before varnishing: Ensure optimum light exposure (avoid direct sun or other light sources) at near room temperature and low humidity. Let it dry overnight. The drying process may take time, so reward yourself with a cup of piping hot coffee in the interim and let time do its magic here!
  • Applying Varnish:
  • Retouching Varnish: Varnish is a lightly colored protective coating that prevents time and atmosphere from wearing the painting down. Lay the painting on a flat surface, and do not varnish it vertically.
  • First, take care of bubbles and sunken-in areas, which result from too much oil being sucked in by the layer(s) beneath. Use a bright shining light to focus on some specific regions of the painting that need more refinement.
  • Ensure it is applied thinly and in layers to capture the painting's finished look and keep it dirt-free. Apply a second coat once fully dry if needed.
  • Final varnish: Use the "fingernail test" to determine whether your painting is ready for the final varnish.

Storing:

• Portrait galleries have highly controlled state-of-the-art storage systems that preserve art for a long time; let's look at how we can preserve them at home.
• To keep your oil portrait safe and protected, maintain a little-to-no-contact rule: Make as little direct contact as possible with the finished oil painting. Wrap it carefully with clean paper, and then bubble wrap to keep it safe and untouched for a long time.
• Storage: Since oil paintings are light-sensitive, store them in a dark room at optimum temperature and only 50% humidity. Lay them flat or pack them in mirror boxes for preservation at home.
• A solander box is a worthwhile investment for the long-term protection of your portrait.

1. "Fat over lean."
2. Going from "dark to light."
3. Slow over fast drying.

• Color mixing, brushwork, layering, and glazing together lays down the essential groundwork for oil paint, giving way to enhanced gradation, realism, high quality, and transparency. It also makes greater room for making textural improvements than most other paints.
• Give yourself the liberty to explore new painting techniques and follow what works best for you once you get the basics under your belt.

Now for a quick recap:

1. Prepare a proper canvas and all supplies, including the oil paint essentials.
2. Choose a suitable reference image and ensure proper lighting; prepare the canvas by smoothening it with gesso.
3. Print the image and ensure both are of the same size.
4. Get the preliminary drawing sketched out, and while outlining, focus mainly on the shadows and highlights.
5. When color mixing, stick to a Zorn palette with the four most essential primaries.
6. Neutralize your skin tone.
7. When painting, block in your darks and remember to separate your darkest tones from your mid tones; use the "fat over lean" rule to underpaint.
8. Give your painting some form by darkening and lightening as needed, build on necessary details, and paint the face shapes instead of lines.
9. When working with hair, start from the darkest parts before transitioning to lighter areas.
10. When adding a background, make sure it complements the rest of the painting.
11. Use the three blending techniques (glaze, Scumbling, and impasto) to make any final touchups or revisions to your painting.
12. Ensure the paint has completely dried before varnishing.

Varnishing occurs in 2 steps:

1. retouching varnish and
2. final varnish. When storing, try to avoid direct contact with the finished oil painting as much as possible.