How to Paint SKIN TONES in Oil (Easy Way to Practice), by Anna Wakitsch on YouTube. 46 min 40 s.
- Video length
- 46 min 40 s
- Time to do it
- 1 to 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Sketch your simplified figure on the canvas in thin paint or charcoal. Keep the shapes simple and mark where the light comes from.
Mix your basic warm and cool skin recipes on the palette before you start. Keep a light, mid and shadow version of each.
Block in the background first so you can judge the skin against it. Keep it simple and low in detail.
Paint the shadow areas with your cool, darker mixes. Place them where the form turns away from the light.
Fill the halftones between shadow and light with mid-value mixes. Blend the edges into the shadows with your brush.
Add the light areas with warmer, lighter mixes. Keep them on the planes facing the light source.
Paint reflected and ambient light in the shadow side. Use a slightly warmer, lighter tone than the core shadow.
Place small specular highlights last, then soften edges where forms curve. Step back often to check values.
Tips and common mistakes
Mix a little more paint than you think you need so you do not run out mid-blend.
Judge skin tones by value first, then color, or the figure will look flat.
Keep highlights small and sharp, and shadows softer, to suggest rounded form.
Work in a ventilated room and keep solvent away from your skin and food.
Questions
Do I need the exact warm-cool palette?
No. Any warm and cool red, yellow and blue plus white will let you mix a range of skin tones. The order of work matters more than the exact brands.
Can I do this in acrylics instead?
Yes. The same shadow, halftone, light and highlight order works in acrylics. Just work faster or use a retarder, since acrylics dry quickly.
How long should the paint dry between steps?
You can do all these steps in one wet session. If you stop, let the layer dry before adding thicker paint on top to avoid cracking.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
