Blog

Creating an image from basic shapes and values is challenging and fun! That was my goal in this project as I began painting the planes of the head using a polyethylene plastic mannequin head. I attached the mannequin to a tripod and placed it under overhead light in order to create strong values. 

Using only ivory black and titanium white, I focused on shapes and values to create the planes of the head. On my palette, I placed a blob of black to the left, a blob of white to the right, and mixed three graduated values between. Because the light was directly overhead, dark cast shadows appeared in the eye sockets, under the nose, under the lip, and under the chin. The top plane of the head, center plane of the forehead and center plane of the nose were bathed in bright light. The planes above the cheekbones and the side planes above the top lip were a mid to light value.

After my black and white value study dried, I mixed basic colors to create flesh tones. On my palette from left to right, I placed quinacridone rose, cadmium red light, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and white.

I mixed a "mother" color to which I could add other colors and/or white to create a variety of tones and values.

Trying to be careful not to lose my value study, I began adding color, starting with the darkest values.

Then I worked around the structure of the head with color, keeping value in mind.

Because my mannequin had no eye features or hair, I created those features from my knowledge of portrait studies I had previously completed. Creating the various planes of the eye was an additional challenge!

As I painted, I imagined where the shoulders might intersect with the neck; however, I didn't place a great deal of concern there, for my focus was facial planes.

Being careful not to blend the colors, I continued to work around the image, correcting my drawing as I went.

Using a dry Rosemary & Co. #4 Master's Choice Ser. 279 Long Flat, I gently brushed the edges between planes to soften the edges.

This was a fun exercise to help see and create a human head in oils.

Visit www.planesofthehead.com for mannequins.