Here’s my latest directly painted self portrait with a full color palette :)

A Self Portrait With Bravery and Optimism
9" x 12"
Oil on canvas
2018

Greetings fellow Steemians!

In today’s post I thought I’d share and discuss my latest painting that is an all prima self portrait done with a full color palette.

As I usually begin with a pre toned surface, I then transferred my block in drawing and sealed it with ink. Once again I used a Faber Castell Pitt pen.

Using a mixture of ivory black and cadmium red, I then started to key and mass in the background and large shapes.

At this point I was very mindful in that after blocking in the hair to pay special attention to the transitions in the hairline and the forehead. I then proceeded to map out the planes of the forehead and continuing to refine the block in all over simultaneously.

As I was still continuing to establish the large planes, I also was attempting to define the parameters of my value range by massing in my lights.

Now that I was content with the value of the background, I then finished filling that in. I then started working on my shadow shapes and was careful to keep them warm in temperature.

..Now I am beginning to break down some of those forms into smaller forms..

As I was proceeding to progressively work down and around some of the smaller forms (nose and mouth) as to save them for last, I made sure to keep my beard relatively neutral. I also took advantage of the warm light up on top of my head and made an executive and yet dramatic decision by making that light very hot in temperature.

Now that I finished the first pass, I then began to go back in and find lost edges in and around the eyes, breaking down and turning smaller forms.

I now worked in my lightest lights. And as far as the eyes, I then was paying attention to the neutral transitions under them as the forms merged into the chromatic cheeks.

..Still moving along making small adjustments around the eyes, nose, mouth, and forehead.

I then started working in the neck, refining the beard, and making small adjustments in the hair.

..Aaaaannd it’s done! :)

The palette I used for this painting was titanium white, cadmium yellow light, yellow ocher, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and ivory black. The medium I used was Rublev's Oleogel.

Please feel free to let me know what you think?

Thanks for reading Everyone!

-James Hansen