• The text that follows does not give complete detailed information. It is a rough idea what takes place as I work on this painting.
• The drawing, the layout of your subject, is an important step in getting good results in your painting. If the foundation is not correct, everything that follows will not be correct. Take your time in measuring and double check.
• Use a small brush and make your lines light until you have everything correct, then make darker accents.

• Paint in your darks, shadow areas, first to establish your dark and light patterns.
• The colors you use are determined by the model. This model has cool light and warm shadows.

• After the dark lay in, put the dark halftones in place. This is the transition value that separates the lights from the shadows.

• The next step is the light halftones.

• Finally the lights are established

• The dark accents where put in and the high lights are noted in this step, but may be hard to see on the screen.

• A lot more work was done from the last step to this one. The dark greyed background made the face look lighter.
• The refinement that takes place must not corrupt the light and shadow relationship.
• Transition edges are soften, colors are adjusted and accent or hard edge are added.

7 step tutorial on painting a portrait

Click to enlarge or reduce picture. Final picture enlarges twice