Tips for Painting Realistic Flesh Tones in Oil
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How To Paint Realistic Flesh Tones
While I am no Old Master, I have studied their techniques and methods seriously for several years. My own portrait and figure paintings have improved dramatically through studying Renaissance and Classical Realist artists and their methods. Here I will present some general tips and suggestions for improving flesh tones in your own artwork, based on their Old Master techniques and methods. These suggestions largely apply primarily to oil painting, although some may be useful in acrylic and watercolor painting as well.
(Image: Close-up of "Psyche" by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.)
Contents at a Glance
How Confident Are You About Your Flesh Tones?
A Question for Artists Working in Oil
Image: "Madonna mit Hl. Rochus und Hl. Sebastian" by Lorenzo Lotto, courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Are you already confident in your technique and skills in painting skin tones? Or are you an artist struggling to paint skin realistically?
Tip #1: Throw Away Any Premade "Flesh Tone" Paints
Why Pre-Prepared Flesh Hues are a Bad Idea
The first thing to do, in order to paint realistic flesh tones, is get rid of any premade, prepackaged flesh tone hues - like this one. If you think you're going to "shortcut" to painting skin by simply using a color like this, and perhaps shading and tinting it up and down? Think again. You'll end up with a painted figure that looks like a Barbie Doll.The reason is our skin is far too complicated and multi-hued to simply be mixed and put in a tube or bottle. Study your hands: notice how the fingertips are more red, from blood flow? Notice the cool blue under your wrist from veins? Do the same with your face: Notice how the skin on your forehead, where the skull is only thinly covered, is much cooler in hue than your cheeks, your nose, the skin around your eyes. Notice how beard stubble can make a man's chin and jaw line appear grayish. Our flesh is not one uniform color all over our bodies. Neither, of course, are we all one pale shade of pinkish-orange! Some individuals have much darker pigmentation, or more olive-green tones to the skin. "Flesh tone hue" ready-made from the store is never going to be able to capture all of these natural variations.
Image credit: alexp on morguefile
An Example of "Plastic" or "Barbie"-Looking Flesh Tones - From My Own Early Work Using Flesh Tone from a Tube.
Tip #2: Try a Palette of Primarily Earth Tones
Classical Artists Used Earth Tones for Painting Flesh
It was not until the 18th century that the color wheel and color wheel theory began to influence artists and their use of color. The Impressionists emphasized the use of primary and secondary colors only, and the idea of placing complementary colors next to each other (ie, yellow and purple, red and green, blue and orange) for shadow and dynamic effect.The Old Masters, however, used a painting palette based primarily around earth tone pigments. Many of these pigments are natural choices for painting skin tones and can blend together beautifully for realistic effect. Author/artist Joseph Sheppard, in his book "How to Paint Like the Old Masters," recommends the following commercial paints for todays' artists looking to paint in a classical style:
Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Cerulean Blue, Chrome Yellow, Ivory Black, Naples Yellow, Prussian Blue, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Rose Madder, Red Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Vermillion, White Lead (Flake white), Yellow Ochre
With this palette, virtually any color an artist could need can be mixed - including much more realistic greens than can typically be purchased pre-prepared. If I could add one color to this list myself, it would be Cadmium Orange, which I find provides a much more vibrant orange than one mixed from Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow. However, its use of course would depend on the subject at hand, and whether his or her skin is especially ruddy, or more pale.
Image: "Self-portrait as the Sick Bacchus" by Caravaggio, courtesy Wikimedia Commons
For More on Painting Like the Old Masters...
How to Paint Like the Old Masters
Amazon Price: $13.97 (as of 02/23/2012)
Used Price: $7.15
This book presents detailed examples - with lots of photographic illustration - of the methods used by Old Master artists including Durer, Titian, Veronese, Caravaggio, Vermeer, Hals, Rubens and Rembrandt. It's a wonderful starting volume for any painter interested in how classical artists painted figures and portraits, with a lot of detail on their flesh tones and color palettes.
Are the Recommended Earth Tones for Flesh In Your Paint Box?
If Not, Add These Colors Today!
I love Old Holland Oil Paints for their purity, thickness and rich pigmentation. It is also one of the few manufacturers of certain great flesh tone colors such as Red Ochre today. Look at the colors below and see what a rich flesh tone palette they would make!
Old Holland Oil Color Red Ochre 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...1 point
Old Holland Oil Color Alizarin Crimson Lake Extra 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Burnt Umber 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Yellow Ochre Deep 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Cadmium Orange 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Burnt Sienna 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Cadmium Red Light 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Cadmium Yellow Light 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Cerulean Blue Deep 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Naples Yellow Extra 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Ivory Black Extra 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Raw Sienna Deep 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Rose Dore Madder Lake Antique Extra 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Ultramarine Blue 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Flake White No. 1 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Old Holland Oil Color Vermilion Extra 40 ml tube
Old Holland Classic Oil Colours Old Holland Oil Wo more...0 points
Tip #3: Begin with a Monochromatic Underpainting
Better Flesh Tones by Separating Hue from Value and Form
Many classical artists began their paintings with a monochromatic underdrawing and/or underpainting. By concentrating first on strictly establishing form, likeness and value (light to dark), the artist does not have to worry about color at all until after the image is set and fully developed. The underpainting can also help develop the later flesh tones and their color quality, particularly if applied thinly to allow some of the underpainting to be seen through in the final work.The two types of underpainting most typically used in classical artwork are verdaccio and grisaille. Verdaccio, which is a greenish-tinged underpainting, especially can bring out the vibrancy of flesh tones applied over it as green is the complementary color of red. Grisaille is a more traditionally French technique of creating a purely gray underpainting, which tends to work best for very pale flesh, giving the painting a cooler appearance.
I very much encourage especially beginning or struggling artists to experiment with giving the verdaccio or grisaille methods a try. It can certainly help with some of the frustration of trying to develop all aspects of a painting at once by breaking the process down into simpler steps - including the creation of realistic skin tones.
Image: Flesh tone being applied over a verdaccio underpainting. Photo by the author, sockii
For More Information on Verdaccio and Grisaille
Please Visit These Art Tutorials
Tip #4: Establish Surrounding Colors First, Before Painting the Flesh Tones
Colors Can Appear Different, Depending on Neighboring Color Placement
The image above shows one of my own paintings in progress, after I decided I wanted to go with a darker rather than lighter background. I have actually done nothing to change the flesh tones between these two steps, but notice how much paler the skin tones now appear? By darkening the background I have changed how our eyes perceive the colors of the portrait subject's face. I then had to go and adjust the skin tones so that my subject didn't appear so "ghostly", yet the skin tones had appeared fine in contrast to the lighter background.
This phenomenon is why many portrait artists, including classical artists, would at least paint a "halo" of background color around the focus of their painting before beginning on painting the flesh tones. Set the background and other large, colorful volumes first, and your flesh tones will be easier to establish more accurately so as not to be too light or too dark in the final work.
Image: How changing background color affects the appearance of flesh tones. Photo by the author, sockii
For a Step-By-Step Look at Painting Flesh Tones
Visit my Portrait Painting Tutorial
Tip #5: Mix No More Than Three Colors at One Time
Keep Skin Tones Vibrant and Clean
If you want to preserve the clarity and vibrancy of your skin tones, try to limit each color you mix to no more than three pigments at a time. For example, if you're mixing a bright skin tone to represent an area of flesh in direct sunlight, try a mixture of Yellow Ochre, Flake White and just a touch of Cadmium Orange. For reddish-hued cheeks or the tip of the nose, try Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre and a touch of Vermillion.Keep mixing fresh colors for every different area of the flesh, instead of making one big pile of "skin color" and just adding more and more lighteners or darkeners to it. Mixing more than three pigments together at once will often muddy your colors and make them turn gray and lifeless. A better option for adding more color, if adjustment is needed, is to later "glaze" thin layers of color on top of what has been previously painted. Glazing will not cause that muddy/dull effect and can very effectively create more subtle and rich colors for a final work.
Image: Portrait of Oswolt Krel by Albrecht Dürer. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Pro-Tip: Make Color Charts
Preparing color charts are a great way to become more familiar with how particular paint colors and pigments mix. Make your own color charts with test combinations for flesh tones to improve your work.
Tip #6: For Better Skin Tones? Practice Painting Onions!
Flesh and Onion Skin are Remarkably Similar
Here's a surprising tip I learned from one of my art teachers in a figure painting class. If you want to get better at mixing and painting realistic flesh tones, practice by painting onions. Onion skin is very similar to human skin as far as the palette of colors required to paint them. Onion skins also show remarkable variation in light to dark shading, cool and warm colors, and differences in base pigmentation. So take a break from painting faces and bodies for a while, and pick up a bag of onions at the supermarket. You'll be amazed at how much you can learn by painting some still life pictures of onions for a change!Image: "Still Life with Onion" by the author, sockii.
Samples of my Portrait Paintings in Oil
Examples of my Original and Reproduction Paintings
Reproduction of an original work by Frederick Lord Leighton, "Gulnihal".
Frank Covino Books and DVDs on eBay
Learn to Paint Verdaccio and Other Old Master Techniques
More Great Books on Portrait and Figure Painting in Oil
Learn More about Classical Techniques and Methods
Do You Struggle with Painting Flesh Tones?
What are Your Tips to Other Artists?
Please let me know if this page on painting better skin tones in oil has been helpful to you. I'd also love to hear if you have any other tips or "secrets" to share on the subject. Thanks for commenting!
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kathysart
Feb 21, 2012 @ 12:05 pm | delete
- WOW!! YOU are an AMAZING ARTIST.. that onion? WOW!!
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kathysart
Feb 21, 2012 @ 12:02 pm | delete
- As much as I paint I am always frustrated.. it is a love hate relationship for sure. I am going to check out your other lens.. thanks for the tips! Angel blessed!
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kathysart
Feb 21, 2012 @ 12:02 pm | delete
- As much as I paint I am always frustrated.. it is a love hate relationship for sure. I am going to check out your other lens.. thanks for the tips! Angel blessed!
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PeterStreep
Feb 3, 2012 @ 7:08 pm | delete
- brilliant lens, I'm not an portrait painter, more a conceptional artist, but love the way you talk passionate about art. Painting is never dead (computers are after 5 years...;-)
squidliked
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hamshi5433
Feb 2, 2012 @ 10:45 am | delete
- Im not good with paint..I like sketching :D But you have excellent tips here for those who can paint. Makes me want to give a try! oh but i can sit and stare at paintings for hours cos of their beauty :D
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About the Author
by sockii
I've loved painting and drawing since I was a young child who became fascinated by the works of modern artists such as Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, and... more »
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Learn More about Painting Flesh Tones
Understanding Values in Skin Tone and Painting Facial Features DVD
Amazon Price: $24.42 (as of 02/23/2012)
Sometimes a video can explain and illustrate painting process better than a book or article ever can. Check out this DVD for an in depth look at understanding how to paint realistic flesh tones.
