# Some help with painting portraits?



## Linus (Apr 27, 2010)

In painting people's faces in any medium.. oil, watercolour, acrylic.. I've noticed they use warm and cool colours on the skin. They will use actual greens or blues right on the person's skin. 

How do I know when to use which? Warm or cool
I heard it has to do with perspective. Dark colours recede, warm colours move forward.. But sometimes they put a warm colour for a part that is further away... Here's an example video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbz6citiDT4


----------



## belvapark (May 12, 2010)

This tutorial is mint! I'm about to do some portrait painting, let me know if you find any more.

:happy:


----------



## moon (Nov 29, 2008)

Experiment!


----------



## Linus (Apr 27, 2010)

You're right.. I will today :happy:

Pretty video isn't it? She says it looks circusy but I love it


----------



## Parttime muse (Feb 8, 2010)

Well, usually warm colors are going to be your lights or bright areas while your cool colors are going to be your dark areas or where a certain area on your painting are shaded. Some artists layer a certain color that's primarily that picture and ad layers of shading on and on the portrait. Some paint their paintings in neutral colors or in black and white as a layering and shading idea of what to use before they put their stronger and brighter colors on. For me, I just slap a few neutral colors on and make sure my bolder colors stand out. Their are exceptions to these rules where you try to make figure pop by putting stronger color on a cooler color and vice versa.


----------



## belvapark (May 12, 2010)

Art Instruction Videos Online at ArtWorkshops.TV - Home

This was the website the video came from (i'm sure you're aware!) but it has some excellent stuff on it. Cheers!!


----------



## Linus (Apr 27, 2010)

^Yes :happy:
Trying to decide which one to get..
Here's another nice video







Parttime muse said:


> Some paint their paintings in neutral colors or in black and white as a layering and shading idea of what to use before they put their stronger and brighter colors on.


Thanks for all your suggestions ^^ This one I quoted here sounds interesting, I don't think I've seen it before. Sounds maybe it is a glaze/wash that is applied after the b&w layer is finished


----------



## belvapark (May 12, 2010)

Oh Jan! She is amazing! I was drop jawed through that whole video, and it wasn't even a tute. I'm gonna sign up!!


----------



## cotton rabbit (May 29, 2010)

It depends on where the light falls. The places when the light falls will be warm, and the shadows will generally be darker. If you look at a sphere, with the light shining in one direction, you will be able to see a smooth transitioning from shadow to light. However, since a face is not a perfect sphere, even within the shadows there will be fragments of light. 

The best way to learn to train the sensitivity of differentiating what is warm or cool is to paint from life, and it takes time because it can be very tricky. Do take note that even for shadows there exist warm and cool shadow (coolest-blue/ warmer cool- green/ even warmer shadow- warm purple etc, you can make up your own options). You have to figure how the light falls. A lot of subtle colors are missing from a photograph, so sometimes you need to gauge yourself where the shadows are.

I hope I am not making things worse here 

Below is a ancient nude study of mine. Since I use really direct and extreme warm/cool colors, it will be easier for you to see what I mean.










Good luck and enjoy!!!


----------

