Portrait in Rembrandt’s Style – Setting up the Underpainting

Art Lesson 40, Part 2

How to Paint a Portrait in Rembrandt’s Style – Setting up the Underpainting

« Back to the Art Lessons List

Portrait in Rembrandt’s Style – Setting up the Underpainting

Session Two

We continue after the Underpainting is dry. The task for this session is to build-up a dense, light paint layer over the Underpainting. Again, we use the Dry Brush method. There is no need for a medium. We rub the paint into the canvas with a soft brush. You can also use a rigid brush for wider areas and the background.

Now, let’s work on facial features. For this, we will use Venetian Red, mixed with Mars Black. Use a clean brush for mixing a brown outline with a light skin paint. Do not overload your brush with paint. A small amount of paint is more manageable.

Session Three

We continue over a dried surface. By adding more Titanium White over highlighted areas, we build-up the thickness of the paint coat. During the course of the painting, we also amend the form.

It’s time to block-in the hair. During this step, we depict the hairstyle as one unified mass. For this purpose, we use Venetian Red, mixed with Mars Black. While the paint is still wet, the transition between the hair and skin is smoothed out.

More highlights can be added, if required. That it for this session. Let the paint layer dry properly.