One Simple Fix to Make Your Acrylic Portraits More Realistic

/ Real Time Tutorial Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo

Unlock the key to more realistic eyes and create stunning portraits with simple adjustments

When it comes to creating lifelike acrylic portraits, one small adjustment can make a significant difference. In this post, we’ll discuss a common mistake that many artists make and reveal the one simple fix to make your acrylic portraits more realistic. Whether you’re a beginner or have been painting for years, this technique will help you improve the realism of your work and refine your skills.

Outline:

The Common Mistake: Too Light Eyes Syndrome
Why Eyes Appear Darker in Real Life
Correcting the Mistake: Using Shadows and Colors
Working with Layers: Achieving Depth
Additional Tip: Painting Black without Using Black
Elevating Your Portraits

Every artist wants to improve their ability to paint lifelike portraits. However, even seasoned painters often struggle with a specific detail that can make or break a painting’s realism—the eyes. In this article, we will focus on one simple fix to make your acrylic portraits more realistic: avoiding the “too light eyes syndrome.” Then by adjusting the shading and using color variations, you can instantly improve the depth and realism in your portraits.

The Common Mistake: Too Light Eyes Syndrome

One of the most common errors artists make when painting portraits is rendering the whites of the eyes too bright. Beginners tend to think that since the eyes are white, they should be painted pure white. However, this is rarely the case in real life.

In natural settings, light and shadows interact with the eyes, making them appear much darker than you might expect. Then overly bright eyes can cause a portrait to look unnatural or even unsettling. So fixing this, can have a significant impact on the overall realism of your painting.

Why Eyes Appear Darker in Real Life

While eyes are rarely as white as we assume. Therefore there are many factors at play:

Shadows from Eyelids and Eyebrows: The eyes are recessed within the face, and shadows cast by the eyelids and eyebrows darken the whites.
Lighting Conditions: So the lighting in your scene can affects how the whites of the eyes appear. While in bright sunlight, only a small portion of the eye will be fully illuminated, while the rest may be in shadow.
Surrounding Skin Tones: The skin around the eyes, whether sunlit or in shadow, also influences the perception of color. While the warmer skin tones create contrast that enhances the darkness of the eye whites.

As a result by taking these factors into account, you can prevent the “too light eyes syndrome” and bring more accuracy into your portrait work.

Correcting the Mistake: Using Shadows and Colors

There are easiest way to fix this issue by adding shadows to the whites of the eyes. So that I recommend to mix raw umber dark and ultramarine blue with a touch of white to create a soft gray. This subtle color will give the eyes a more natural appearance while maintaining depth.

Step-by-Step Fix:

Mix a Gray Base Color: Start by mixing raw umber dark with ultramarine blue and a small amount of white to make the color opaque.
Apply in Layers: Paint this color over the too-bright whites of the eyes, ensuring that the shadow areas are covered.
Refine with Multiple Layers: You may need to add several layers to deepen the shadows gradually. Make sure to observe the reference photo closely.

By layering these colors, you’ll notice that the whites of the eyes begin to take on a more realistic tone.

Working with Layers: Achieving Depth

Another essential aspect of making portraits realistic is the use of layers. Many artists rush to finish a piece without layering enough paint to achieve depth. I emphasize the importance of layering colors, especially when correcting the eyes.

Tip:

Therefore, don’t expect the correction to happen in just one pass. Because for the eyes and other areas of the face, it may take several layers to get the depth you want.

Techniques for Layering:

Start Light: Begin with lighter tones and then build up the darkness gradually.
Observe Reference Photos: Always compare your painting to your reference photo so that you can ensure you’re accurately capturing the subtleties.
Use Glazes: Glazing is an effective method to add depth without overpowering the lighter layers underneath.

Additional Tip: Painting Black without Using Black

I also provide a helpful tip for working with dark areas in your portraits, such as clothing or deep shadows. Rather than using flat black paint, which can often appear dull, he suggests creating a rich black by layering colors.

Steps for Painting “Black”:

Mix Colors for Richness: Combine colors like ultramarine blue and raw umber dark so that you can create a deep, nuanced black. Because you can even incorporate hints of green or red from surrounding areas to give the black more depth.
Build Layers: When applying this mixture in thin layers, you can allow the colors underneath to show through slightly. Because this technique will result in a more dynamic and lifelike black.

By avoiding flat black paint, you can create areas of dark shadow that feel more natural and integrated into the portrait.

Elevating Your Portraits

When achieving realism in your acrylic portraits doesn’t always require complex techniques or new materials. Because often, it’s about observing the details in your reference photos and making small adjustments. And then by fixing the too light eyes syndrome and applying shadows, using layers, and even working with rich blacks, you’ll be able to make your portraits stand out.

So start implementing these methods today, and watch how one simple fix can make your acrylic portraits more realistic. Then don’t be afraid to take your time and layer your paint to create depth and dimension.

Tips and Techniques Recap:

Use raw umber dark and ultramarine blue to create natural shadows in the eyes.
Apply corrections in multiple layers to build depth.
Avoid flat black; instead, layer colors for a more dynamic dark tone.

By following these steps and paying attention to your reference, you’ll be able to elevate your work and produce more realistic, compelling acrylic portraits.

Read more about my additional resources, tutorials, to learn more and check out my free courses here. . Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, there’s always something new to learn and apply to your paintings. Happy painting!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

Yours for Better Portraits,

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