Learn How to Paint a Portrait With These Professional Techniquesmedia2.fwpublications.com/NLS/PortraitPaintingFreemiumNew.pdf · Look at the enormous array of skin tones available

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Learn How to Paint a Portrait With These Professional Techniques

Portrait Painting Lessons

Ta b l e o f Co n T e n T s■ Know Your Subject: An Excerpt

from Expressive Portraits by Jean Pederson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

■ Painting Skin Tones: An Excerpt from Vibrant Children’s Portraits by Victoria Lisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

■ Quiet Reverence: Inspired by the human experience, Dongfeng Li paints his subjects with emotion and dignity by Meredith E . Lewis (Watercolor Artist, April 2012) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

■ Brush With History (The Artist’s Magazine, January/February 2013) . .27

M o r e r e s o u r C e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

make a three-dimensional face reference

Create your own inexpensive reference tools that will help you understand general characteristics of facial features and the relationships among them. Refer to them as you draw and paint. You need a standard egg-shaped balloon and a felt-tip marker for this one.

balloon headMark the guidelines and standard relationships of the com-fortable face (see pages 26–27) on your infl ated balloon. The “comfortable face” measurements change because we cannot see the hidden side of the face; however, the lines that mark positions don’t change. Mark the guidelines and standard relationships of the comfortable face on your infl ated balloon. Refer to the balloon to help you evaluate what relationships may be out of proportion in your por-trait. If you “tie” your balloon by wrapping the end around a pencil, it can be defl ated and saved for future reference. 25

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Portrait Painting Lessons: Learn How to Paint a Portrait With These Professional Techniques | 3

know your subject

Because our faces are so similar, our minds want to exag-

gerate the small nuances that distinguish one face from

another. As artists, we try to paint what we see, rather than what

we think we see. If we observe carefully how light falls on the

diff erent planes of the face, we see shapes instead of features. I

keep these ideas in mind when I begin a drawing.

Regardless of where you are in your artistic journey, a solid

foundation in the structural relationships of your subject will

give you the confi dence to draw and paint with freedom.

It allows you to understand the fi gure and to observe your

model’s distinct features as they deviate from the standard.

Sometimes our drawings go awry, but with this foundation, we

can identify problem areas and adjust them appropriately.

resist the urge to exaggerate proportionsBecause this model is so physically fi t, it would be easy to draw his muscular upper body larger than it is. But if we look carefully at the proportions of the fi gure, we’ll fi nd that they generally fi t into the standard guidelines for an adult male.

self assuredwatercolor, gesso and India ink on 140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed paper30" x 22" (76cm x 56cm)collection of the artist

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notice relationships among facial featuresThe key to becoming adept at drawing and paint-ing many diff erent faces is to see their similarities fi rst. No matter how much individual facial features vary from person to person, we are strikingly similar in the relationships of our features. The closer a face corresponds to the average relationships of facial features, the more “comfortable” that face will appear.

Most of us have facial relationships that diverge slightly from the norm, giving each of us our own unique look. When you create portraits, considering some standard relationships will help you develop a “comfortable” face as a foundation before making any adjustments to accommodate the unique-ness of your model. You will learn to spot individual diff erences among your models and adjust angles and distances to gain an accurate likeness.

With practice and experience, you’ll be able to draw and paint a portrait through shapes and rela-tionships and then use the “comfortable” face as a guideline if something doesn’t seem quite right. By comparing it with the standard facial format, you’ll discover where your drawing is out of balance in its relationships.

3 the “comfortable” faceIn general, this model’s features and facial relationships are proportional. This standard is seen globally as what a “comfortable” face should be. All ethnici-ties would see this as a comfortable face.

transfi xedwatercolor and gouache on 140-lb.

(300gsm) cold-pressed paper11" x 15" (28cm x 38cm)

collection of doris lehodey

ill-placed featuresOn my computer, I separated the model’s features and re-arranged them on her face to illustrate just how similar we all are in our facial relationships. If we draw these relationships without considering average proportions, the face becomes odd or less comfortable. You can see how slight changes to these proportions change the appeal of the simple face, which in turn can signifi cantly aff ect the success of your portrait.

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make a three-dimensional face reference

Create your own inexpensive reference tools that will help you understand general characteristics of facial features and the relationships among them. Refer to them as you draw and paint. You need a standard egg-shaped balloon and a felt-tip marker for this one.

balloon headMark the guidelines and standard relationships of the com-fortable face (see pages 26–27) on your infl ated balloon. The “comfortable face” measurements change because we cannot see the hidden side of the face; however, the lines that mark positions don’t change. Mark the guidelines and standard relationships of the comfortable face on your infl ated balloon. Refer to the balloon to help you evaluate what relationships may be out of proportion in your por-trait. If you “tie” your balloon by wrapping the end around a pencil, it can be defl ated and saved for future reference. 25

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CHAPTER FOURSKINThe range of skin tones is vast. Buying a tube of paint marked “fl esh” is completely

inadequate. Look at the enormous array of skin tones available at a makeup counter.

Some companies even offer customized blends.

Racial ancestry plays a signifi cant role in skin tone. Some children are multiracial

with both strong and subtle infl uences on skin tone. Careful observation is crucial.

What color is the skin undertone? Pink, blue, olive, yellow, purple? All sorts of

beautiful subtleties exist in skin colors of all races. The skin also changes hue on

different parts of the face. Thinner skin, such as at the temples, tends toward more

cool tones. The tip of the nose, cheeks and forehead tend toward warmer, rosier

hues. This holds true for all races.

Lighting also affects skin tones. Skin color changes dramatically depending

on the amount of light falling on it. A strong light lightens the areas of skin where

it falls, while low light can darken the skin tones. Even a very light-skinned child

will look dark if the light is insuffi cient. The color of the light also has an infl uence.

The skin tones of a child on a cloudy day or standing in the shade will look cooler.

Furthermore, different light sources give different results. Cool northern light gives

a cooler bluish hue. Low evening or morning sunlight is pink or orange and affects

skin tones accordingly.

If you make a skin chart of all the potential skin palettes, you’ll be in a much better

position to select appropriate colors.

Margaretoil on canvas14" × 11" (36cm × 28cm)collection of Jane Maday

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DETERMINING VALUES

The next step after drawing is estab-

lishing the correct values. Value is the

degree of lightness or darkness. It is

more important to get correct values

than correct color. A black-and-white

photo is an arrangement of values from

black through white with all the grays in

between. A person in a black-and-white

photo is still recognizable. Imagine

looking at the same photos with no

values—only colors. The subject prob-

ably wouldn’t be recognizable. There

are a number of tips and techniques for

getting correct values.

Using Gray Scales to MixA gray scale has eight to ten values, ranging from pure white to black. Lay the gray scale on your reference and painting (only when the painting is dry!) to compare the values. Keep it near your palette when you mix your colors.

Using Gray Scales to Test MixturesLaminate your gray scale to try this handy trick. Place a mixture of paint directly on the gray scale to see if it matches the reference. Wipe off the paint with a paper towel once you’ve established the correct value.

Isolating ValuesPunch a hole in two pieces of card stock. Lay one piece on your reference and one on the corresponding area of the dry painting. This will isolate the area so you can better judge value. This technique also works well for selecting colors (see page 59).

ARTIST’S TIP

Here are a couple of tricks that will help you see values:1. Squint at your reference or

painting. This allows you to see value more distinctly. Make this a habit. Don’t try to paint while squinting though.

2. Hold a sheet of acetate or undeveloped fi lm close to your eyes like a pair of spectacles, then view your painting and reference through the colored fi lm. This will remove much of the color, and you will see the values better.

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Weak values create a weak painting. Strong values draw

attention. With children, the values should be subtle and

change gradually or they will look too harsh.

Mix a suffi cient number of values. I use at least fi ve, but

no more than nine. When establishing values, it’s better

to use more opaque colors. Mix white into all of the lighter

mixes. Titanium White is very opaque.

Concentrate on the values early in the painting. Put the

darkest color down as soon as you can. It will be a key to

determining values in the rest of the painting.

Clarifying Value and ColorTo separate value from hue (color), it can help to make a black-and-white and a color print of your reference photo. Use the black-and-white print for the underpainting stage and the color print for the color stage.

Using Sepia PhotosSepia closely emulates Burnt Umber, which is often used for the underpainting in oils, so it can be helpful for determining the values in underpaintings. Use photo editing software to manipulate and improve your photos to make them more suitable for painting.

As a general principle, apply dark colors thinly and light

colors with more paint. The idea is to let the light of the canvas

shine through the darks. The light colors will refl ect light

automatically.

Place the center of interest in the light area of the painting.

Use contrast (such as a black pupil with a light glint) to draw

the viewer’s attention to the center of interest (usually the eye

angled closest to the viewer in a three-quarter view or the eyes

in a front view). Avoid extreme value contrast at the edge of

your painting, as it leads the viewer’s eye off the page.

ARTIST’S TIP

Black is a controversial color. Some artists never use black from a tube. Instead, they mix dark colors with their complements (colors opposite each other on the color wheel). This creates a black that is more vibrant than pure fl at black, which can suck the life out of a painting. Try using tiny amounts of Mars Black at the center of interest. Mix the rest of your darks with complements, such as French Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna, or Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Winsor Green.

PLACING VALUES

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BLENDING

Many artists don’t advocate blending, preferring a looser, more

painterly style. This approach can look great on portraits of

adults, but painting the smooth skin of a child calls for blending.

Blending is easier with a properly primed canvas and the

right brushes, paints and medium. Opaque colors blend better

Soft, Rounded BrushOnce you’ve applied the paint to the canvas with a fi lbert, use a soft,rounded brush, such as a mop or glazing brush, for blending. Always use a clean, dry brush.

Fan BrushFans are also good for blending.

than transparent ones. Don’t try to blend colors that have

begun to dry out. You’ll have a streaky mess. Use a good

brush with the right level of stiffness to apply paint, such as

a synthetic mongoose fi lbert.

Practice BlendingSelect three colors from one of the skin tone palettes (see pages 53–56), and lay them out on your palette. Thoroughly mix a drop of medium into each color. Mix nine values from light to dark and place them side by side on your canvas (see left bar above). Use a glazing or fan brush to blend, creating a blended bar that goes smoothly from light to dark. It usually takes two coats to get it really smooth (see right bar above).

If you have trouble, make sure you take enough time to mix the paint. You may not have mixed enough values, or the paint might be dried out. It should be buttery, not too liquid or too stiff.

Toddler SkinI applied the paint with a no. 2 short fi lbert. I didn’t blend the paint after applying it.

Toddler Skin, BlendedHere is the same image after I blended the paint with a no. 6 glazing brush. The skin is much smoother.

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GLAZES

Glazing produces rich colors with luminosity and depth. It

is a wonderful technique for fi nishing the painting process.

Glazing is done with only transparent colors. These allow

light to pass through the paint fi lm and bounce off the paint

underneath, almost like a sheet of stained glass or acetate

overlaid on the painting. Because oils dry slowly, it’s usually

possible to apply only one or two glaze layers per painting.

It’s best to use opaque colors in the early stage and trans-

parent colors in the later glazing stage. If you try to use only

glazing colors at the beginning, you won’t get coverage and

your work will look streaky. A glaze will make an area darker

in value.

Glazing Chart Make your own chart once you know which of your colors are transparent. Paint an opaque fl esh strip using any of the skin tone palettes, and let it dry. You can use fast-drying medium to save time. Then, mix transparent colors with a thin, fast-drying medium and apply them over the fl esh strip. This will give you an idea of how skin colors might respond to various glazes.

Permanent Magenta

Red Rose

Rose Madder Genuine

Permanent Alizarin Crimson

Burnt Sienna

Transparent Red Ochre

Transparent Maroon

Indian Yellow Deep

Green Gold

Winsor Green

Winsor Blue (Green Shade)

French Ultramarine

Violet Deep

Winsor Violet Dioxazine

Practice glazing transparent colors over dried opaque

ones to get a sense of what this technique can add to your

work. Mix a drop of fi ne detail medium in your glaze color.

Paint the transparent coat thinly, spreading it with your glaz-

ing brush or fan.

See the list of transparent colors below. Of course there

are more transparent colors than these. Many manufacturers’

tubes are labeled opaque, transparent or translucent. If not,

there’s a simple way to test colors. Draw a black line with a

marker on canvas. Paint color swatches over it. Opaque col-

ors will cover the line better, while transparent colors will let

the line show. The colors that are in between are translucent.

TRANSPARENT COLORS FROM

MY PALETTE

Burnt SiennaFrench UltramarineGreen GoldIndian Yellow DeepPermanent Alizarin CrimsonPermanent MagentaRed RoseRose Madder GenuineTransparent MaroonTransparent Red OchreViolet DeepWinsor Blue (Green Shade)Winsor GreenWinsor Violet Dioxazine

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SCUMBLING

Scumbling is the opposite of glazing. To scumble, take a

lighter opaque color (usually white or an opaque color mixed

with white) and paint it over a darker area. It changes the

temperature, producing a cooler, more bluish color. Scumbling

is a little tricky because it can cause an unexpected color

change, such as turning blond hair greenish. It can produce

beautiful pearly skin tones when done properly. You can

alternate glazes and scumbles at the end of your painting for

a really beautiful fi nish.

Opaque Colors Useful for Scumbling SkinUsing scumbling and glazing properly can take a relatively lackluster painting and add dimension and mystery. Scumbling and glazing are best used at the end of the painting process.

To experiment, paint opaque swatches of different skin colors and let them dry. Add fl uid medium to a lighter opaque color and scumble it over the skin tones. Spread the lighter opaque scumble coat very thinly, creating a thin veil of color. Observe the change in temperature.

*Transparent White is more transparent than Titanium White. It is useful if you want a very delicate scumble. Even though it’s called “transparent,” it will create a scumble rather than a glaze.

Prescumbled SkinHere is a painting before scumbling. See how the skin is a bit too orange.

Scumbled Skin Here is the same painting after scumbling. Notice how the skin is cooler and bluer after scumbling. This is an optical effect created by applying light over dark.

Titanium White

Transparent White*

Bismuth Yellow + Titanium White

Cadmium Yellow Hue + Titanium White

Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Titanium White

Naples Yellow Light

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LIGHT SKIN TONES

Light skin tones range from pearl through peach, olive, beige

and brown. Some have freckles. Children of Northern European

descent often have more pink tones while those of Southern

European descent may have more olive.

White, red and yellow create a generic light skin tone.

Different reds and different yellows produce different results.

Opaque Chart of TriadsHere are some combinations with each mixture including two pigments and Titanium White. The ratio of the other two colors changes the temperature. The amount of white changes the value. White always cools and grays the colors it’s mixed with. Titanium White makes transparent colors opaque.

A. Permanent Magenta + Cadmium Yellow Hue + Titanium White

B. Yellow Ochre Pale + Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Titanium White

C. Yellow Ochre Pale + Transparent Maroon + Titanium White

D. Indian Yellow Deep + Terra Rosa + Titanium White

E. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + French Ultramarine + Titanium White

F. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Winsor Blue (Green Shade) + Titanium White

G. Green Gold + Rose Madder Genuine + Titanium White

So will different proportions of paint ratios. On some children

the areas of thinner skin will require some blues. Mixing a

blue with an orangey red and white can also yield light tones.

Glaze and Scumble ChartHere is a chart with strips of opaque light skin tones that have been further modifi ed with glazes (Transparent Red Ochre and Rose Madder Genu-ine) and a scumble (Tita-nium White). Notice how each affects the colors.

Transparent Red Ochre

Rose Madder Genuine

Titanium White

Cadmium Yellow Hue + Permanent Magenta + Titanium White

Yellow Ochre Pale + Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Titanium White

Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Winsor Blue (Green Shade) + Titanium White

A B

C D E

F G

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There is a wide range of dark skin tones. Colors can range

from delicate mochas to golden honeys to rich mahoganies.

Some areas, such as lips, may have a deep rose, a soft pink

or a subtle violet cast. Palms and soles are often lighter than

other areas.

Opaque Chart of TriadsHere are some combinations you can use. Dark skin benefi ts from colors with strong tinting strength and less white in some areas.

A. Cadmium Yellow Hue + Winsor Magenta + Titanium White

B. Venetian Red + Violet Deep + Titanium White

C. Winsor Blue (Green Shade) + Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Titanium White

D. Green Gold + Winsor Magenta + Titanium White

E. Venetian Red + French Ultramarine + Titanium White

F. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Violet Deep + Titanium White

G. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Winsor Green + Titanium White

Glaze ChartAfter you have painted dark skin tones opaquely, enhance the colors with transparent glazes. Transparent Maroon is one of my favorite glaze colors. It’s particularly effective on dark skin. Purples and magentas can be effective in selected areas such as the shadows and lips.

Mixing complements (colors that are opposite each other

on the color wheel) makes interesting dark skin shades. Varying

the ratio will help give nuance and life. This is a better strategy

than simply using paint from a brown tube, which can look fl at.

Cadmium Yellow Hue+ Permanent Magenta + Titanium White

Venetian Red + Violet Deep + Titanium White

Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Violet Deep + Titanium White

Winsor Violet Dioxazine

Permanent Magenta

Transparent Maroon

DARK SKIN TONES

A B

C D E

F G

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WARM SKIN TONES

Warm skin tones range from palest cream through deep honey

to rich browns. There can be a subtle underlying golden hue.

Try mixing various yellows with reds or magentas.

Opaque Chart of TriadsMixing different yellows with different reds and purples yields believable warm skin tones. Yellow and red make orange, and yellow and purple make a neutral brown. Adding Titanium White to these mixtures cools them and makes them more suited for fl esh tones.

A. Cadmium Yellow Hue + Rose Madder Genuine + Titanium White

B. Yellow Ochre Pale + Transparent Maroon + Titanium White

C. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Winsor Blue (Green Shade) + Titanium White

D. Indian Yellow Deep + Terra Rosa + Titanium White

E. Naples Yellow Light + Burnt Sienna + Titanium White

F. Bismuth Yellow + Venetian Red + Titanium White

G. Green Gold + Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Titanium White

Glaze and Scumble Chart Glazes or scumbles can work well over warm skin. Here are some examples. Notice how the yellow glaze warms and the white scumble cools the underlying colors.

Indian Yellow Deep

Burnt Sienna Transparent White

Naples Yellow Light + Burnt Sienna + Titanium White

Bismuth Yellow + Venetian Red + Titanium White

Cadmium Yellow Hue + Rose Mad-der Genuine + Titanium White

A B

C D E

F G

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BROWN SKIN TONES

From warm amber to cool olive and deep umber, there is an

enormous variety in brown skin tones. Any number of com-

binations might work: reds with greens, yellows with reds or

blues with orange-reds.

Opaque Chart of TriadsStronger colors work well with brown skin tones. Children with Latin heritage will tend toward olive while those with Native American heritage will have a redder skin tone.

A. Bismuth Yellow + Permanent Magenta + Titanium White

B. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + French Ultramarine + Titanium White

C. Green Gold + Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Titanium White

D. Cadmium Yellow Hue + Venetian Red + Titanium White

E. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue + Winsor Green + Titanium White

F. Cadmium Yellow Hue + Permanent Aliza-rin Crimson + Titanium White

G. Yellow Ochre Pale + Venetian Red + Titanium White

A B

C D E

F G

Glaze ChartDetermine if the under-tone is red or green when selecting glazes or scumbles for brown skin tones. If the child has olive tones, Green Gold is a good choice. If the undertone is more red, Permanent Alizarin Crimson would work well. If the skin is neutral, Burnt Sienna will work.

Bismuth Yellow + Permanent Magenta + Titanium White

Cadmium Yellow Hue + Permanent Alizarin Crimson + Titanium White

Yellow Ochre Pale + Venetian Red + Titanium White

Green Gold Burnt Sienna Permanent Alizarin Crimson

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MIXING

In the initial stages of a portrait, mix a suffi cient number of

fl esh values, at least fi ve but not more than nine. You can mix

more than nine skin tones, but the difference should be in hue

(color) rather than value. Mix colors with a palette knife. Use

more drying medium in the white paint, but a consistent amount

in the other colors. The one exception is Burnt Umber, which

does not need drying medium.

I usually mix many values and hues of paint for a portrait

in the early and middle stages. It’s time consuming, so I keep

the paint in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator

between sessions.

Skin Tone Mix ChartI used fi ve colors to create twenty mix-tures varying in value and hue.

The top two rows contain Cadmium Yellow, Permanent Magenta and Tita-nium White. The top row contains more Cadmium Yellow Hue than Permanent Magenta, making a slightly more yellow-ish skin tone, while the second row con-tains slightly more Permanent Magenta than Cadmium Yellow Hue, making a slightly more pinkish skin tone.

The bottom two rows contain Cad-mium Red Scarlet Hue, French Ultra-marine and Titanium White. The third row contains slightly more Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue than French Ultramarine, making a more reddish skin tone, while the fourth row contains slightly more French Ultramarine, making a bluer skin tone.

In all the rows, as you move toward the right, each mixture has progressively more Titanium White. You can mix many more shades from these colors. This would be a minimum.

Cadmium Yellow Hue

Permanent Magenta

Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue

French Ultramarine

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COLOR VARIATION OF FEATURES

All skin tones have areas that are more reddish or more blue.

Creased areas such as the inside of ears, nostrils and between

fi ngers refl ect light, which gives them a reddish hue. The thin-

ner skin of the temples, eyelids and wrists often has a bluish

or violet cast because blood veins show through transparent

skin layers.

Cheeks, fi ngers, noses and ears are often more pink or

red due to weather exposure. The amount of sun exposure a

child has produces deeper skin tones. Cadmium Red Scarlet

Hue is particularly effective for redder areas.

Highlights are important as they give skin dimension and

describe the form. It may be necessary to warm the Titanium

White highlight color with Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue or Cad-

mium Yellow Hue.

Lips Before BlendingBefore blending, it is easy to see the separate colors: Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue and Transparent Maroon in the shadows, and Titanium White with a touch of Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue for the highlights.

Blended LipsAfter blending, the Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue, Transparent Maroon and Titanium White are still visible, but they are softly blended in.

Ears Before BlendingThe same process works with ears. Here they are before blending. Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue is in the creases. Titanium White is in the highlights. Use miniatures in the tight areas.

Blended EarsAfter blending, the colors have been softened. A no. 6 glazing brush works well for this.

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Inspired by the human experience, Dongfeng Li paints his subjects with emotion and dignity.

By Meredith E. Lewis

Extraordinary Quietude “The subject in Under

the Eaves, Soft Touch of the Sun [watercolor on

paper, 30x22] is my mother’s still-living childhood

friend,” says Li. “I tried to present her quietness and

her ordinary life in the rural village through her pale

face and typical country-house door curtain. The soft

afternoon sunlight touches her face through the tree

leaves, conveying my feelings for my mother.”

Quiet Reverence


Solitude “The subject in Liv-

ing Alone [left; watercolor on

paper, 26x38] lives by himself

without any children,” says Li.

“His face, skin and wrinkles tell

his history and experiences.”

Vivid Life “In Pikeville Sun

[below; watercolor on YUPO,

38x26], I spent a great deal of

time on the reflections and on

alternate brushstrokes on his

facial hair, to allow his face to

reflect vivid sunlight,” says Li.

Humility, grace, dignity: these are the hallmarks of Morehead State University professor Dongfeng

Li’s watercolor portraits . Choosing to paint people from a variety of places, ages and life experiences, Li works to imbue each subject with poise and distinc-tion . “Their different backgrounds can create interesting contexts,” he says .

“I’m curious about these differences, so it’s one of my primary motivations in creating my work .”

Li’s style is realistic, although dif-fuse, muted and atmospheric color washes—trademarks of his chosen medium—augment the transition from foreground detail to background abstrac-tion . “My work is primarily realistic, though it can vary, depending on what I want to achieve with a piece,” he says .

“With watercolor, I can often create detail that rivals that of oil paint, though sometimes I like to pursue a more sim-plistic approach, such as in the painting Joe [on page 34], which relies more on color washes .”


Mystery Man “In Joe

[opposite; watercolor on

YUPO, 38x26], I tried to

approach the idea of ambi-

guity and the obscurity of

the subject’s identity,” says

Li.


Life Lived “In Coalminer [watercolor on YUPO, 38x26], I explored the effects of dripping rain and

the feeling of being wet with color blending and washes.”

bridging traditionsDongfeng Li prefers to paint with both soft- and hard-hair Chinese brushes, because both can be smoothed to a point, and the soft brush can hold a great deal of water. His palette of watercolors has more than 20 wells with a casket seal, which prevents the paints from drying out. His favorite colors are: blue-green, ultramarine blue, sap green, rose madder and alizarin crimson from brands such as Rembrandt and Da Vinci. Additional materials include liquid soap, for mixing with paint; a spray bottle; and a sponge.

Contrast and HarmonyLi completed his undergraduate stud-ies in China, where he studied Chinese watercolor and oil painting, as well as drawing . He credits this early training to his success with watercolor and with realism, noting the similarities between the Western watercolor tradition and the Chinese school . “There are some simi-larities between watercolor and Chinese painting, such as washes, brushstrokes and paint bleeding effects, as well as their typically summarized and simple nature,” he says .

“Both contain a simplified approach to color by creating multiple subtle lay-ers of glazes . Chinese painting and watercolor are focused more on design and composition above all else, as well as how the economy of the brushstroke is used to create structure of form .”

In college, Li was also preoccupied with sports . Soccer, volleyball and table tennis were his favorites, and he spent a great deal of time outdoors or in the gym . “Many of my professors told me that I should attend a sports academy, rather than studying art,” he says . “This has influenced my work today, and is part of the reason why I’m interested in plein air painting, as I love being out-doors, surrounded by nature .”

Li’s paintings explore color con-trasts, color temperatures and hues, elements that allow him to capture the personalities and moods of his sub-jects in two-dimensional space . Emo-tion arrives through composition and through his use of light and dark values, color washes, texture, brushstrokes and color work . “Contrast and harmony are based on my design purpose,” he says . “If I need more attention, I’ll use more con-trast; when I want elements to seem uni-fied, I’ll do the opposite .”

Painting from life, photographs and reference material, Li strives to achieve authenticity in each painting . Life paint-ing is his favorite way of working . If he chooses to work from photographs, he often changes the color scheme and vari-ous personal elements to complete and unify a composition . Working and teach-ing in a variety of environments—from the studio to en plein air and travel painting—gives him flexibility and virtu-


Memories of Home “In Pack Rat [opposite;

watercolor on paper, 38x26], I characterized my

subject through her aging skin and I imbued her

with a very quiet feeling,” says Li. “She reminded

me of my mother and aunt.”

osity with the medium . It also allows him to demonstrate a wide variety of paint-ing methods to his students .

Vivid FormsComposition takes two forms in Li’s process . The first is brainstorming . He spends time with his subject, watch-ing the model or examining the photo-graph for clues . “Often, after a period of time, I’ll have a vague idea of the theme,

color, light design and composition,” he says . “Then come the thumbnail sketches and black-and-white value study, or color studies .”

With this preliminary work in place, the second stage of Li’s process sees him developing his final painting accord-ing to the road map set out by his initial thoughts and studies . For the paint-ing Pack Rat (on page 37), Li first com-pleted a black-and-white drawing and


Off Guard “In Cat’s Cradle [opposite; watercolor

on paper, 22x30], I tried to capture the confused

expression of the girl and the cool lighting cast upon

her, which was challenging in classic transparent

watercolor,” says the artist.

quick color design study—elements that allowed him to edit and perfect his composition .

With these references in place, he drafted his drawing in pencil on his watercolor paper . He then blocked in the lightest colors and, where gestural strokes were required, he worked addi-tional colors into these areas while they were still wet . He designed and glazed the background before he went to work on the face and detail areas . When he finally launched into the facial planes of the work, he began by creating the value and blending in cool and warm colors, before achieving depth in detail areas .

Throughout his process, Li takes

care not to overwork any particu-lar area of the painting . “My process of watercolor isn’t that different from many other artists,” he says . “How-ever, I do emphasize the idea of ‘lost and found’ in my work . I use this tool to pro-vide emphasis in certain areas of the face and details, allowing less empha-sized areas to subtly blend into the back-ground . It’s key to making the form of a portrait more vivid .”

In addition, he “counts white as black,” he says, and allows some areas of his paintings to be busy and tight in contrast to quieter areas with less detail . “These are both well-known theo-ries in Chinese painting,” he says . “They


To see more of Dongfeng Li’s watercolors visit www.artistsnetwork.com/

medium/watercolor/dongfeng-li-gallery.

Workaday “I tried to create the idea of a miner exiting a coal mine at the

end of a workday, tired and exhausted, in Morning Relief [watercolor on paper,

38x26],” says Li. “There are certain risks involved in deep mining, and his expres-

sion shows a sense of pride from his job—as well as relief from having safely com-

pleted a day of work.”

Fond Recollections “What I depicted in Loess, Light Misty at the Village

[below; watercolor on paper, 30x22] is the accumulation of my feelings and mem-

ories of China,” says Li. “I tried to present all that I saw and know about this senior in

my parents’ hometown.”

describe the use of positive and negative spaces . I also sometimes look for more abstract shapes in both spaces .”

New VocabulariesFor Li, who enjoys the quiet dignity of the human face, the challenge is to remain open to new ways of working with and exploring a subject . He admits that he’s often dissatisfied with his initial paint-ing efforts, and it may take weeks of addi-tional work and assessment for him to arrive at the finish line .

“In giving myself this time,” he says, “I can explore new and interesting ideas that I can later add to the piece that I wouldn’t have explored initially .” Suc-cess in painting can be elusive, but exploration—the search and the inves-tigation itself—is key . “Explore your own visual vocabulary and use your heart and

soul when creating your art,” he says . “Always look for new vocabularies, explor-ing new and innovative processes .”

Meredith e. Lewis is a freelance writer and editor

working in Central Pennsylvania. She’s a frequent con-

tributor to Watercolor Artist, The Artist’s Magazine and

Pastel Journal.



SSitting comfortably in the ante-chamber of Everett raymond Kinstler’s gramercy Park studio in manhattan, i felt an overwhelming sense of the significance of the place and its current inhabitant’s contribution to the art world. after all, we were in not only an historic new york city landmark, the national arts club, but also the former studio of the american impressionist and prominent teacher frank Vincent Dumond (1865–1951). What’s more, this is the studio where Kinstler had painted what amounts to a pictorial who’s who of over 2,000 por-traits, including those of tony bennett, Katharine Hepburn, tom Wolfe, count-less business leaders, more than 50 U.S. cabinet members and seven U.S. presidents. like a kid in a candy store, i scoured the place, taking everything in.

A 70-year career has taken Everett Raymond Kinstler from inking cartoons to illustrating books and magazines to painting thousands of portraits of America’s most celebrated.

left: Avon Books had asked Kinstler to create a cover illustration for the detective novel The General Died at Dawn, which was based on a 1936 movie of the same name. Avon never used the illustration but, in 2012, the painting, Untitled (Couple) (ca 1958; oil, 18x14), became the cover of the catalogue for his retrospective exhibition, “Pulps to Portraits.”

historybrush with

By louise B. hafesh

aBove: Intimate Confessions #4 (1952; pen and ink, 17½x13¼) is one of hundreds of illustrations Kinstler cre-ated during his six-year association with Avon Comics.


studio Mementos “not a day goes by,” says Kinstler, “that i don’t think of mr. Dumond, who was my teacher at the art Students league.” it was at that school that Kinstler himself would later teach full time from 1969 to 1974 and give weekend workshops through 2010. “i loved the old man,” continues Kinstler. “He used to call me his ‘boy’ and, taking me under his wing, helped secure my first studio at the national arts club. after his death, i moved into his larger space (above).”

and what a space it is! bright and airy (20x30 feet) with an 18-foot ceiling, one entire wall of north-lit windows plus a grand balcony that stretches across another wall. Paintings, sketches and photographs lie scat-tered about, along with an eclectic assort-ment of props and resources, including an impressive private library and a life-sized seated mannequin affectionately known as ms. Draper (bequeathed to the studio by por-traitist William f. Draper, 1912–2003). to the right of Kinstler’s easel (originally owned by another mentor and friend, the illustrator

MaterialsCanvas: New york Central art supply #90 SP (single-primed)

linen on Jack richeson Best stretchers

Brushes: silver Brush Everett Raymond Kinstler Series—

Kinstler’s most commonly used brushes are bristle filberts, sizes

2–12.

Paint: Jack richeson oils—sap green, ultramarine blue, ceru-

lean blue, burnt umber, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, cadmium

red light, raw sienna, cadmium yellow, ivory black and white

Mediums: Kinstler Studio painting medium (very fluid; good

for beginning stages, such as sketching and blocking in) and

Kinstler alkyd oil painting medium (a thicker medium that expe-

dites drying of the paint; used for glazing, detailing and other

processes as the painting progresses); Kinstler directed the

formulations of both mediums, which were developed through

experimentation.

aBove: Kinstler’s studio at the National Arts Club in New York City was once the studio of Frank Vincent DuMond, Kinstler’s early mentor.Photo by Louise B. Hafesh


James montgomery flagg, 1877–1960), a simple chair rests on a worn platform, while a hand-carved wooden screen is flanked on the right by a taboret on which rests John Singer Sargent’s actual palette. “That was a gift bequeathed to me from the new Jersey painter Paul burns (1910–1990),” says Kinstler. “it had been part of Sargent’s estate sale in 1925.”

Having already discovered that every nook and cranny holds some treasure and an opportunity for a personal anecdote, i try to appear nonchalant about this last revelation. i comment on a small, striking painting of Katharine Hepburn (whom Kinstler had

painted more than 40 times in the 1980s and 1990s). Kinstler confided that, at her sittings, the actress had insisted on overseeing every detail, dictating incessant instructions, often to Kinstler’s exasperation. “i finally said to her, ‘ms. Hepburn, i admire you so much, but your constant critiques are driving me crazy,” recalls Kinstler. “She thought for a second and then said, ‘you know what your problem is? you talk too much!’” When that particular portrait was complete, Hepburn declared (to Kinstler’s surprise) that it was her favorite and told the artist, “i like you—you do your home-work.”

Below: Katherine Hepburn (ca 1987, oil, 46x46), one of many portraits Kinstler painted of the actress, is part of the perma-nent collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.


from Pulp to Portraits my visit with Kinstler took place a week after the opening of “Pulps to Portraits,” the art-ist’s 2012 exhibition at the norman rockwell museum in Stockbridge, massachusetts, a retrospective that explored how illustration had

shaped the artist’s work and influenced his tran-sition into portraiture. Still riding high from that celebration, he and i discussed his reaction to seeing his life’s work showcased in a signifi-cant place and in such a comprehensive way.

“i feel a little like a Dickens character who’s transported by the ghosts of past and present and gets to view everything from a dif-ferent perspective,” Kinstler said with a laugh.

“it’s odd but quite rewarding to look back on a career that spans more than 70 years and see the progression of the work.”

time travel aside, it’s been quite a ride for the manhattan-born artist who left school at age 16 to take a job drawing comic books, magazine illustrations and paperback book covers. His magazine and comic con-tributions, including the first Zorro comics and illustrations for the pulp magazine, The Shadow, are often credited with influencing the Pop art school—a point reinforced by roy

Two Takes on Tom WolfeKinstler’s friendship with Tom Wolfe began in 1964. At that time, Kinstler

was painting astronaut Scott Carpenter and Wolfe was writing his novel

about America’s first space travelers, The Right Stuff. Kinstler first painted

Wolfe in 1987 (at right). Then, in 2000, Kinstler revisited the subject

(below). Of the second Tom Wolfe, Kinstler says, “I challenged myself

to paint Tom in his characteristic white suit against a stark white back-

ground.” This “white” portrait is part of the permanent collection of the

National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

aBove: Portrait of Tom Wolfe (1987; oil, 50x27)

left: Tom Wolfe (2000; oil, 56x44)


lichtenstein, who once told the artist, “you were Pop art before it even existed.”

as an inker’s apprentice in the 1950s, Kinstler com-pleted 180 comic strip panels each week. He credits this early work with helping him attract freelance pulp book and magazine assignments as well as honing his ability to tell a story visually, a skill he put to good use in his portraits. “When i began illustrating, i wasn’t aware that the field was disappearing,” he says. “culture was chang-

ing, photography was taking over, television was coming in and magazines were folding. and with the market and business starting to decline, i had to think differently.”

aBove: Kinstler painted John Wayne (1978; oil, 44x34) from life for the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Saturday Evening Post picked up the portrait as an August 1979 cover illustration.


a Painter of People out of necessity, the young illustrator began to look for more viable outlets for his art. “Painting people was always what i enjoyed most,” Kinstler explains, “so making the transition into portraiture was a natural shift.” Suffice to say, portraiture was also something he was excep-tionally gifted at. Signing on with Portraits, inc., a gallery that specializes in securing por-trait commissions, he soon established himself as one of america’s top portrait painters.

“it’s been stimulating to paint people,” he says. “i’m a storyteller; that’s my journey. What i value most are imagination, feeling and the skill to communicate—those qualities have always been the measure for me,” says Kinstler, who ranks capturing a person’s essential char-acter above all else. “Painting a convincing portrait is not always about getting a likeness,” he says. “naturally, that helps, but often it’s about getting a point of view.” to that end, he recommends doing advance life studies, point-

ing out that spending time with the subject to get a sense of what he or she is like, looking for significant characteristics and being selective about certain traits—along with sincerity and passion for what you’re doing—are integral to the process.

anatomy of a Portraitgenerally Kinstler works from life, although he does take photographs for secondary reference. He begins on a bluish-gray toned canvas and, once his model is posed to conform to prelimi-nary sketches, places a few rough indicators for composition before delving directly into paint-ing alla prima. “i feel a responsibility to capture both the spirit and likeness of the people i paint, and so i prefer my sitters to be animated rather than motionless,” he says. “carrying on a lively conversation as i work helps. in so doing, i also get to see other facets of my subject that i can perhaps incorporate into the portrait.”

concluding our visit, Kinstler remarked: “i was recently asked an intriguing question: ‘if you could paint anyone in the world, who would that be?’ almost immediately,” says Kinstler,

aBove: Kinstler has drawn life portraits of each presi-dent of the Screen Actors Guild who has come to office in the last 20 years. Mike Hodge, President, Screen Actors Guild (2012; charcoal, 20x15) is the latest of these portraits.

left: In Portrait of Will Barnet (1977; oil, 50x40), Barnet sits in front of an abstract painting that he was working on at the time in his National Arts Club studio. This portrait is now part of the collection of the Butler Institute of Ameri-can Art, in Youngstown, Ohio.


“names like Sir laurence olivier and Winston churchill came to mind—mostly people who were or are larger than life. after further thought, though, i realized my subjects are not just well-known personalities, but rather people from all walks of life. and since every-one in his or her own way has a story and what i most enjoy about the process is capturing the essence of a person’s character, you could say that i’m already painting the very people whose essences i most want to interpret!” ■

louise B. hafesh is an award-winning artist and writer and a contributing editor for The Artist’s Magazine. You can see examples of her work at www.louisebhafesh.com and www.paintersportal.blogspot.com.

Meet Everett Raymond KinstlerEverett Raymond Kinstler, who dropped

out of high school and abandoned a formal

art education to take a job inking comic

books, has been awarded honorary doc-

torates from Rollins College (1983), outside

Orlando, Florida; Lyme Academy College of

Fine Arts (2002), in Old Lyme, Connecticut;

and the Academy of Art University (2010),

in San Francisco. For five decades he

taught at the Art Students League of New

York. Kinstler has painted seven United

States presidents from life, and his paintings of President Ronald

Reagan and President Gerald R. Ford are official White House portraits.

Kinstler’s work is part of the collections of the Metropolitan Museum

of Art, the Brooklyn Museum and the Butler Institute of American Art

in Youngstown, Ohio, among others. The Smithsonian National Portrait

Gallery has acquired more than 100 pieces of his works and, in 1999,

awarded Kinstler the Copley Medal, its highest honor. Visit his website

at www.everettraymondkinstler.com.

Artist Interprets ActorBy everett rayMoNd KiNstler

Academy Award winner Christopher Plummer is an

actor I admire, as well as a good friend and neigh-

bor. Of course, I’d seen him on stage and in films

through the years, but before picking up the brush

to paint his portrait, I again watched at least a half

dozen of his movies. Eventually, I decided to base

his portrait on his most recent success, his role as

Prospero in Shakespeare’s Tempest. His 2010 stage

performance of this play had been filmed at the

Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada to create

a 2012 feature movie.

After countless drawings and color sketches,

as well as discussions with Plummer, I arrived at a

concept for the portrait. Plummer’s input helped

shape my interpretation, and I greatly appreciated

getting his reaction to my ideas. He posed for me in

my Connecticut studio (above).

left: Portrait of Christopher Plummer as Prospero (2011; oil, 50x42)C

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http://www.painterportal.blogspot.com

http://www.everttraymondkinstler.com

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