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LESSON 2 "PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN" Painting By Van Gogh Let's keep in mind, Lesson 1 and have
a fun filled day with Lesson 2. As I
look at this beautiful portrait, the play of warm and cool colors strikes me instantly. The background is light and cool and
recedes. The yellow jacket and red tones of the face allows the portrait to come forward. Color harmony is everywhere! The blues and blue greens in the hat are also in the vest and buttons
and outline the coat. Van Gogh even puts blue in the hair, sideburns, eyebrows, eyelashes and shadow areas in the tie.
Yes, blue and green was his chosen cool colors, so delicately applied. Let's walk through the art of the portrait: 1. See the subtle highlights where the light hits the hat and the darker values are painted at the base
of the hat to create the shape. 2. Notice the warmer yellow green where the light touches the brim of the hat and use of this color also brings the bill of the hat forward. 3. Note the colors in the hair depicting yellow highlights and dark lines to create the direction of the hair. This technique would be easy and successful to apply in fiber art. 4. Note the rose and yellow values on the forehead to bring the forehead forward. These values would have to blend when dyed so they would make a subtle color change, the same for the cool colors. 5. The eyebrows are painted in the direction they grow. Under the eyebrows is light rose fading to a gentle darker value, creating the form. The upper eye line above the eye is distinct creating the individuals personality. This line is so important. The eyelash is directional assisting to create the shape. 6. The whites of the eyes are painted a light blue shade (very clever), which helps the eye "set in". Imagine if they were painted white! The red highlight in both eyes brings the pupil forward and the spot of warm white gives the eyes a highlight. Do you think the green in the eye is why Van Gogh chose that green value for one of his cool colors? 7. Let's concentrate on building the nose. Line and shadows are a must. The tip of the nose is the lightest highlight of the portrait. This is natural because the nose comes forward from the whole face. The rose on the nostrils brings the nostrils out from the nose and the soft cool greens ends the protrusion. The nostrils are gently darkened for form but notice they do not stand out. 8. The fullness of the cheeks are in warm colors, the side of the face are in cool colors. The moustache is in contour to create shape, notice how the right side is done wider than the left side. 9. The lips are a play of lines and highlights. Notice the darkness at the end of the lip line. To get a lightness of the model, this area is very important. The cool green value falls directly under the lips to bring the face in; the rose on the chin brings the chin forward. The darker cooler colors and lines create the shape of the chin plus help the chin to recede. Notice the circular line to create the roundness of the neck with the dash of rose to bring forward the Adams apple. You can even apply this theory to a tree! 10. The ears are created with so much care. Shaped by gentle lines, warm and cool colors, they appear so natural and yes, like they belong to him. 11. The strokes in the jacket give it form, especially where the button fastens. You can tell the vest is striped by the strokes and the pink in the bow tie makes it come forward. You can apply these principals of warm and cool colors to all your fine art and fiber art projects.
Please feel free to download the picture of this painting for future reference. PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN During his ill-fated stay in Arles, Van Gogh found a real friend in the postman Roulin. The Artist was a welcome figure in the Roulin household, and he painted every member of the household. The postman's son Armand is the subject of this superb portrait. Quoted by Jerome Klein in 1937. |
