Ben Lustenhouwer

Portrait of a little girl

Learn how to paint a portrait

Portrait of a little girl

Learn how to paint a portrait

Ben Lustenhouwer

An explanation in pdf format accompanying the video tutorial Portrait of a little girl.
In a concise form the text will follow the narrative on the video.
This document can be viewed on any device, and can also be printed.

PAINTING
PORTRAIT
TIPS.COM

Photography
For me, it is vitally important that when using a
photograph to paint from I take it myself and that it is
o f g o o d q u a l i t y. Ty p i c a l l y, I w i l l t a ke s e v e r a l
photographs of the subject, for "Portrait of a Little
Girl" I made a total of sixty from which I selected one.
To create contrast between the subject and the
background I decided to place her in front of a
window. I used an umbrella flash light on a tripod,
situated to the right of the girls head at a distance of
approximately 180 cm. and a height of (70.8 inch). I set
my digital camera to RAW format. This ensures I have
maximum flexibility in altering colour, contrast and
any other visual values I may wish to play with. This is
achieved using Photoshop. I always crop the image to
the same aspect ratio of the canvas upon which I
intend to make the painting and I will adjust the image
and printer settings until I achieve a print I am
entirely satisfied with.
Here is the equipment I use:
Camera: Canon 5D, on a tripod.
Flash: Speedlite 580 EX + Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2.
Printer: Epson Stylus PHOTO R 2400.
Paper: Premium Glossy Photo Paper.

Some thoughts on taking the

photographs of the model
Think about how you want to depict the
person before starting to shoot. Do I just
want to paint the face? Do I want full
front or a three-quarter position for the
s u b j e c t ? Ta ke y o u r t i m e d u r i n g t h e
photographic session. The model may be
tense so think about how you will put
them at ease. This is important not only
for children, even adults may feel
uncomfortable sitting. Experiment with
multiple exposures and also remember
that a face has often a good and a bad
side. Therefore, make sure that, when the
model sits at a slight angle to the camera,
you take pictures not only with the face
looking to the right but also to the left.
Should you be painting a diptych,
remember that it might be nice if the first
person is depicted from the right, and the
second from the left. If the model is very
sti, and that happens frequently, never
allow your frustrations to show instead,
encourage them with praise, tell them
how well they are doing and how good
they are looking. I have told this white lie

many times and it always contributes

towards a successful result! In addition
you will give the model the confidence
that you are in control.
I always have a flash unit on hand in case
the ambient light is poor. My lighting
consists of a flash with umbrella on a
tripod. Usually I recommend the flash
falls obliquely from above on the face, so
that about two-thirds is in light, and one
third in the shade. If shadows are very
dark, I will sometimes use a light reflector
to b o u n ce t h e l i g h t b a c k to l i f t t h e
shadows and reveal a little detail. A large
sheet of white paper (A3 or more) is a
good substitute for a professional
reflector. Frontal lighting provides little
shade and it is precisely this shade that
makes it easier to create a likeness. A flash
snapshot with a fixed flash on the camera
rarely produces good results. Also do not
stand too close to your model with the
camera. You run the risk of wide-angle

distortion that is ugly: big nose and small

ears.
Make enough pictures. Very often it is
only one single picture out of a series that
has just the particular magic that you're
looking for. Never accept second best,
keep photographing until you get the
image you really want. Do not expect to
fix a poor image in photoshop or on the
canvas because you won't. Take short
breaks when necessary especially when
shooting children for whom the session
should be kept shorter.
A final note with children, "helpful"
parents can often cause more problems
than they solve, so learn the art of politely
keeping them out of the way.

The finished painting.

46 x 46 cm.

The drawing & underpainting

Video
part 1

The canvas.
Before the canvas can be even
sketched on, the linen has to
be well prepared. Linen
straight from the shop even if
sold as pre primed is not
sufficient for a good result
often sucking the oil from the
paint and preventing it from
flowing. Therefore, apply at
least three extra layers of gesso.

Watch video

Colour pencil

The drawing
Parto de una buena fotografa que hago yo mismo.
Esta es para m una condicin fundamental.

I sketch the models face on the canvas with a

La imagen es una, de una serie de sesenta, aproxired pencil. The black graphite of a normal
madamente. Por razones de contraluz he puesto
pencil will always come shining through your
mi modelo delante de una ventana.
painting at some point.
Uso un flash luz paraguas en un trpode, situado
In
this
portrait
projected
onto the
por
encima
de la Icabeza
de la the
niaimage
aproximadamente a 180This
cm. de
altura
Hago la foto
canvas.
can
be (70,8
donepulgadas).
with a projector
or
en la opcin de RAW para obtener la mxima posibeamer.
bilidad de correccin de color y el valor despus en
Photoshop.
la to
imagen
parapicture
el formato
cuaThree
otherRecorto
methods
get the
on the
drado de la tela. Hago todas las copias hasta que
canvas:
completamente
* est
Marking
up both satisfecho.
the photo and the canvas

into a grid.
* Using tracing paper. Trace the photograph on
Cmara:
Canon 5D,paper.
en un trpode.
thin
transparent
Rub the back with
charcoal, turn the paper over and lay it gently
Flash: flash Speedlite 580 EX + Speedlite Transmion the canvas. Trace the drawing again, so that
tter ST-E2.
the charcoal line is pressed on the linen.
* Impresoras:
Copying the
image
on Photo
the canvas
simply by
Epson
Stylus
R 2400.
observation.
Papel: Papel fotogrfico Premium Glossy.

Watch video
I generally recommend you fix the red pencil
drawing with a thin application of fixative
spray with a shellac / alcohol solution.

The underpainting
The purpose of underpainting is to capture the drawing and retrace basic forms and features of the
face. In a simple statement I will start to set tonal values. With great care I set the main marker points
for the face, paying particular attention to the corners of the eyes, the eyelashes, the nostrils and the
corners of the mouth. This visual groundwork is vital because if, as the layers of paint build up, I start
to get lost, I can simply scrape it back or lift it o with pallet knife to reveal my underpainting.
I use acrylics for the underpainting because it dries immediately. And at the same time it fixes my
pencil drawing without the need to spray an extra layer of fixative in advance.
An alternative way is to do the underpainting in oil but you will have to wait at least a day for it to dry
completely.
I use raw siena for the underpainting as it complements the flesh tones and is not too dark.

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Getting started in oil

Video
part 2

The colours on my palette

Raw Siena* Optional.

Alizarine Crimson* Can be replaced by Madder Lake Light.

Medium and solvent

I rarely use medium in the beginning because
the paint is already quite oleaginous or oily: Royal
Talens - Rembrandt. Some brands are more
resistant and less flowing. Then the use of medium
might be needed to obtain a more fluid viscosity.
But in general try to use as little as possible. In
this particular example I have treated the canvas
with an alkyd medium that was dry the next day.
But sometimes I start the day with a thin
application of neutral drying medium which I wipe
down with a dry rag. The surface is now a little
damp and it makes the canvas more receptive to
my brush strokes. I like to vary my methods and I
urge you to try dierent approaches yourself. Selfmade discoveries are always very valuable!
In this portrait I also used Painting-paste.
On the picture you see from left to right:
A l k y d m e d i u m , Ne u t r a l d r y i n g m e d i u m ,
(turpentine / linseed oil).
Odourless solvent to rinse brushes.

Watch video

Brushes

The brushes I used in this portrait demonstration.

1. First of course the palette knife with which I mix my colours.
2. A big and a small synthetic bristle, filbert,cats tongue Size: 26, 12.
3. A small round point, synthetic. Size: 4.
4. Hog bristle, filbert cats tongue. Size: 6, 8, 10,12.
5. Soft synthetic, filbert cats tongue. Size: 10, 12.
6. A synthetic, flat. Size: 8.
7. Watercolor brushes. Size: 9, 22.

Video part 3

Video part 4

Video part 5

Getting started: Hair & Shadows

Finishing the dark areas

Painting the halftones

In advance I give the eyes a special treatment

with a thin layer of a dark brown mixture.
After that, like always, I start with the darkest
parts in the portrait: the hair. In simple shapes
I block in the planes, without making any
indications of curls or single locks of hair.
I then move on to only the darkest shadows in
the face. I dont use any medium.

After I have finished the darkest parts of the

face I move on to the mouth but again only in
a simple schematic way.

I look for the subtle blue, mauve and green

accents in this darker par ts of the skin.
Wherever they appear I try to accentuate
them. They add interest to the portrait.
Notice that I paint the lighter parts darker and
the shadows lighter than you see on the
photograph.
I do this on purpose. It is easier to make light
tones lighter and dark tones darker.

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Video part 6

Video part 7

Video part 8

Painting the light parts

Completing the first stage

Retracing the portrait

Finally I finish the light areas of the face but

without painting any highlights.
I make sure that the whole face is covered with
paint and that the planes are well connected to
each other. I pay attention to ensuring there
are no "white holes". However, I am certainly
not working out details yet.

In a painting you always have active and passive zones. I describe the active zone part of the
portrait as the part to which the viewers attention is naturally drawn. To achieve this the area
is well defined and crisp. On the other hand,
the passive zone should recede from the
viewers attention and will tend to be both "softer" with less defined edges and subtler colour
values. In my portraits I almost always want to
draw the maximum attention to the eyes.
The mouth is the second in this order of attention. As discussed the background is generally
a passive zone but I nevertheless pay attention
to making attractive brushwork. It is worth noting that I take care to ensure there is a soft
connection between the background and the
subjects hair, I want to avoid hard edges here!

Now that the whole face and background is

painted I am able to check the relationship between colour and contrast or tonal values.
I then retrace the whole portrait in the same
order as I started it. First the dark areas, then
the halftones and finally the highlights.

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Video part 9

Video part 10

Video part 11

Assessing the details

Finishing procedure

Checking the transitions

In this part I assess the details around the eyes,

mouth and nose. At this point I will stand back
and survey the whole painting frequently from
a distance. This avoids lingering on one single
detail, over-finishing one part of the painting
which allows a problem to develop unnoticed.

At random I continue with the details and

contrasts. Some lights must be lightened. I try
to keep the whole painting in the same stage of
execution.

Now I check all the transitions from light to

dark tone and the blending of colours. I ensure
I am making soft edges and crisp connections
as appropriate. Variety of hard and soft edges
adds interest to the painting.

20

Video part 12

Video part 13

Last highlights & background

Come to an end

I have held back a long time but now it is the

right time: use pure white for the highlights of
the eyes.
These are the key parts in the painting that
brings life to the subjects face.
Dont make the dots too small, it does not
work, too big makes and it looks "gimmicky".
I finish the hair by adding some highlights and
the odd lock of hair in the background.

This is the second day of painting.

I am not happy with the background and the
colour of the shirt. So I want to change it. The
paint is still wet so I can easily correct that.
The underlying colour blends easily with the
new paint. I now make a final check of the
details of the painting.
The por trait is now finished and can be
allowed to dry.

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Some rules of thumb

Keep your palette clean and organized.

Fat over Lean.
Fat over lean refers to the principle in oil painting of applying paint with a higher oil to pigment ratio
('fat') over paint with a lower oil to pigment ratio ('lean') to ensure a stable paint film.The system of
"fat-over-lean" (or: flexible over less flexible) must be followed if a painting is built up of various layers.
A following layer can only be applied once the previous layer is dry enough for them not to dissolve
together.

Always work from the darks to the lights.

I notice that some student are afraid of creating dark shadows. They avoid them and start with the
lighter parts. I emphasize the working method: "from the darks to the lights." Keeping to that rule
makes portrait painting a lot easier.

Warm-cool contrast.
If you cannot identify a colour in a shadow think of this often applicable rule: Lights are cool,
shadows are warm, deep shadows are hot.

Copyright 2013 by Ben Lustenhouwer

I really hope you enjoyed this demonstration and I wish you success in portrait painting.
Feel free to write me at www.paintingportraittips.com
Kind regards.

Ben Lustenhouwer

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