Head study 130717

Head study (13.07.17)

2017

Oil on linen

50 x 40 cm

Notes: This week I'm trying to practice "holding the local hue". Meaning, if the flesh tone is 5YR 5/4, I should mix up the tones within the hue (5YR) and the chroma (4), not varying the hue much. (given that the lighting source is an ordinary flourescent lamp) The variations of cool tones are often over-stated (skin does not pick up that much cold tones from the environment especially for swarthy complexions).

Another advantage of "holding the hue" is that you avoid weird mixtures or unintentional "cross-mixing". You can then focus on rendering the head with value, much like if you were doing drawing. This is something like solving 2 of the components of colour (the hue and chroma) then having to only attack one (the value).

For self-criticism, I am most dissatisfied with the big form rendering of the neck to shoulders, it looks illogical for this lighting scheme.. I may be confused by an actual cast shadow falling on the right side. It may be the photo too, but I think the chroma of the head is at least half step or 1 step too high.