A Beginning Portrait Class at The Armory Arts & Events Center in Napoleon

I taught a brief workshop on portrait painting last Sunday at The Armory Arts & Events Center in Napoleon, Ohio. We started out sketching front and side views using Andrew Loomis' well-known techniques for creating a 'normal' face. Of course everyone varies form normal somewhat- that's what makes us all unique individuals.

After a bit of drawing practice we moved right into painting and I chose an American Indian as our subject. The photo reference was black and white, which simplified the values. Their skin tones are more even than Caucasians and (I think), easier to mix. Using a simple recipe of burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and titanium white, we were able to come up with a pretty wide variety of tones. Throwing in a bit of cadmium red easily warmed the mixtures where needed.

Profiles

I don't do a lot of portraits using a profile view. I'm not sure why because they're just as intriguing, in my opinion. This one is a bit larger than life size and I painted it at the request of a client who owns another one of my American Indian paintings. That one is a Nez Perce warrior and the male is facing left. So I painted this one as a mate to that painting, using the same background and solemn side view, but facing to the right.

She is based loosely on another Edward Curtis black and white photograph, circa 1900.

12" x 16" oil on canvas

Nez Perce Maiden