It is my privilege every week to judge entries for the Realistic Acrylic Portrait School Facebook Contest.
The best 5-6 images get chosen to be included on the Header Image of our 6,000+ member group. But why do I choose the portraits that make it to the top?
In this brief video, I’ll go over the reasons why I awarded these portraits the prizes they received. I also discuss what could be done to improve them.
You can learn from these tips on what makes for a good portrait and how to improve your own.
Also, if you aren’t currently a member of the Realistic Acrylic Portrait School Facebook group (it’s free to join), you should be! Here’s why…
Get help on your portrait from myself and fellow artists when you feel stuck.
Share your artwork with others and get inspired to paint more, by seeing what your fellow artists are doing.
Enter a portrait into the weekly contest, get your work featured, and win a prize!
See you inside the group! Let me know how these tips help, and of course, if you have any questions.
Yours for better portraits,
P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!
Unlocking the secrets to depth and color in acrylic painting
Acrylic painting offers artists a versatile medium, allowing for various techniques to create depth, shading, and vibrant colors. Among these techniques, the glazing method stands out for its ability to build up layers of color, enhancing the painting’s visual complexity. In this blog post, we will delve into how to do layers with the glazing technique, exploring color selection, layering strategies, and tips to achieve a professional finish.
I have a student named Holly, who has just started painting portraits in acrylic. She is currently working on one of her brother, and she was unsure of how to continue after beginning the glazing process. With her permission, I’m going to share her portrait with you. We all know what it feels like to get stuck during painting, especially when starting out…
Here’s her questions…
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your advice and the progress photos you sent of your artwork. That really helped. I’ve watched a lot of the student videos and I’m trying to apply everything to my painting. I feel like it looks kind of terrible so far so maybe I’m not doing it right. I’m worried about painting any more shadow in on his face because it looks bad – especially his eyes. I definitely feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. Haha. I don’t know what to do about his hair or face. And the white shirt with the dark creases. And the brass jacket buttons. I’m following your list of paint colors to use for the skin tones off of your skin tone video and that is very helpful. But I just feel kind of lost as to the layering process. For instance, for the face, I don’t know how many layers of shadows I’m supposed to do before I move onto layers of midtones. And how many layers of midtones do I do before I move onto highlights? And when I’m painting the midtones, do I paint over the shadow areas as well? Or only paint on the midtone areas?
Thank you so much for your help!
Holly
Here is my answer to her questions, in a video format. I used Photoshop to show her digitally, how she would paint with an actual paintbrush. My goal was to create a roadmap she could follow to ease the confusion in the painting process and gain confidence for what to do next.
What is Glazing?
Glazing is a technique where a thin, transparent layer of paint is applied over a dried layer of paint. This process can be repeated multiple times, gradually building up the desired color and intensity. The final appearance of the artwork results from the interplay of colors beneath the glaze, creating a sense of depth and luminosity that cannot be achieved with opaque paint alone.
Choosing Colors for Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights
One of the most critical aspects of mastering the glazing technique is selecting the right colors for different areas of your painting. This can be particularly challenging when working with shadows, midtones, and highlights.
1. Shadows
When creating shadows, it is essential to choose colors that will blend well with the underlying layers. The shadows should be darker but also retain a sense of warmth or coolness depending on the lighting in your scene. For instance, using a mixture of raw umber dark and a hint of blue can create realistic shadows, providing depth without overpowering the other colors.
2. Midtones
Midtones serve as the bridge between the shadows and highlights. It is essential to mix colors that complement both extremes. For instance, when painting skin tones, a blend of yellow ochre and a touch of red can create a balanced midtone that will seamlessly transition between the shadows and highlights.
3. Highlights
Highlights add life to your painting, drawing the viewer’s eye. To achieve this, consider using lighter versions of your base colors mixed with titanium white or a light yellow. However, ensure that these highlights are still somewhat transparent to maintain the glazing effect.
Layering Process in the Glazing Technique
Once you have selected your colors, it’s time to start layering them using the glazing technique. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you navigate the process effectively:
Step 1: Prepare Your Canvas
Begin by preparing your canvas with a base layer of acrylic paint. This initial layer should be dry before you start glazing. It can be beneficial to work on a toned canvas, which can help unify the painting’s overall tone.
Step 2: Apply the First Glaze
Using a soft brush, apply your first glaze. This layer should be thin and transparent. A mixture of matte medium with your chosen paint can help achieve the desired transparency. Start with your shadow color, working it into the areas where you want to establish depth.
Step 3: Let It Dry
Allow your glaze to dry completely before adding additional layers. This is crucial, as working on a wet layer can disturb your previous work and muddy your colors.
Step 4: Build Up Midtones
Once the first layer is dry, repeat the glazing process with your midtone color. Apply it over the areas where you want to create form and dimension, using a clean brush to blend the edges.
Step 5: Add Highlights
After your midtones have dried, apply your highlight color using the same glazing technique. This layer should be more transparent than your midtones and should enhance the overall brightness of your painting without losing depth.
Step 6: Repeat as Necessary
The glazing process can take several layers to achieve the desired effect. Don’t be afraid to go back and forth between shadows, midtones, and highlights, building up layers until you reach your goal. Each application should add depth and richness to the final piece.
Tips and Techniques for Effective Glazing
Use High-Quality Paints: The quality of your paint can significantly affect your glazing results. Invest in artist-grade acrylics to ensure better transparency and mixing capabilities.
Maintain a Light Touch: When applying glazes, use a gentle hand. It’s easier to add more layers than to remove excess paint.
Test on a Palette: Before applying any glaze to your painting, test your colors on a palette or scrap canvas. This will give you a better idea of how they will interact.
Layer Order Matters: Always start with the darkest colors and work towards the lightest. This approach helps maintain control over the overall value and temperature of your painting.
Keep Brushes Clean: Regularly clean your brushes to avoid muddying your colors. Using separate brushes for each color can also be beneficial.
Be Patient: Glazing is a slow process that requires patience. Allow each layer to dry fully before proceeding to the next to achieve the best results.
Practice: The more you practice glazing, the more comfortable you will become with the technique. Experiment with different colors and layering styles to find what works best for you.
Conclusion
The glazing technique is an invaluable method for any acrylic painter looking to enhance the depth and vibrancy of their work. By understanding how to effectively layer colors, choose the right tones for shadows, midtones, and highlights, and employing the right techniques, artists can achieve stunning results that will captivate viewers.
As you embark on your glazing journey, remember to take your time and enjoy the process. Each layer contributes to the overall beauty of your painting, revealing the complexity of color and depth that acrylics can offer. Happy painting!
Let me know how this video helps! Does it clear up the process at all for beginning a portrait using the glazing technique? Let me know.
In the meantime, many blessings to you and your portrait painting.
All the best,
P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!
To create a realistic portrait you need a lot of different elements all working together.
The main three elements are accurate form, value, and color.
All of these elements are tied together, and even overlap a bit. Today, I want to show how form and value work together, and how you need to represent value accurately to portray correct form.
One of my students recently asked to have his portrait critiqued, while in the sketch stage. As I was recording his critique, the idea of capturing value to portray a realistic likeness came up.
In other words, if you want the person you’re painting to look like them, you have to pay close attention to the shadows. It’s just as important to capture these shadows as it is to draw the features such as the eyes, nose, mouth, etc. with correct placement, proportions, and shape. The ability to see the shadows on a face is vitally important to create the illusion of three-dimensionality on the canvas. You need to be able to see the inherent shape of a shadow from your reference photo–its hard edge and soft edge.
On a photograph that can be hard to discern.
You have an almost unlimited array of values with micro-nuances that can make it very challenging to see the “big picture” of the main shapes of the shadows. But if you can train yourself to see those main, abstract shapes you will go a long way to being able to draw and paint realistically.
By the way, the edges are defined not only by shadows, but differences in value due to the actual value (light and dark) of the objects themselves. (For example, the contrast between the man’s flesh tone and white suit. Or, on a smaller level, the difference between his black beard on his dark brown skin.
There are borders to all the shadows and values Your job is to see the most obvious edge, pick a line, and define it.
Watch the video below and I’ll show you what I’m discussing here, using this student’s portrait sketch (supplied with his permission) as an example.
Mastering the ability to see shapes within the shadows takes practice. But it all starts with being aware of the need to do so. As you hone in this skill, you’ll see these shapes all over the place, learn how to paint what you see, and your portraits will come alive with realism!. Visit other free tutorial here.
Yours for realistic acrylic portraits,
P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!
