The art of portrait painting

in oil colours

WITH OBSERVATIONS ON SETTING AND PAINTING THE FIGURE

HENRY MURRAY, F.S.A.

ALTHOUGH Portrait Painting is sometimes regarded as but an inferior branch of the fine arts, yet it is nevertheless a fact that but few of its professors ever attain to signal eminence. If we endeavour to call to mind the roll of its most distinguished masters in this country, from Holbein to our own Millais, we shall find the list far from being a lengthy one, as compared with the catalogue of those whose names are as household words in other branches of art. It is no part of our purpose to discuss the question why this is so ; but it is an undeniable fact that it is a very difficult task to endow a head with thought and lips with language, and to portray benevolence, magnanimity, and all the other virtues which beam forth in the human face divine. Our purpose is rather to indicate some of the difficulties which the student must inevitably encounter, and to offer such practical assistance as will enable him to overcome them and achieve that success which should be the object of his efforts.

POINTS OF PERSONAL IDENTITY

FIDELITY OF RESEMBLANCE

THE SKETCH

THE ECONOMY OF THE PALETTE

THE PALETTE FOR THE FIRST PAINTING

VEHICLES AND MEDIUMS

THE FIRST PAINTING

THE HAIR

PRACTICAL RECAPITULATION OF THE FIRST PAINTING

THE PREPARATION FOR THE SECOND PAINTING

PALETTE FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD PAINTINGS

INCIDENTAL TINTS

THE SECOND PAINTING

THE EYE

THE MOUTH

THE EAR

THE HAIR

THE NECK AND SHOULDERS

THE ARMS AND HANDS

ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS

THE THIRD AND FINISHING PAINTING

REFLEXES

THE TREATMENT OF PERSONAL DEFECT

HANDLING AND TEXTURE

PALETTES FOR BACKGROUNDS

METHOD OF PAINTING A PLAIN BACKGROUND

RELIEF OF THE HEAD OR THE FIGURE

VARIETIES OF METHOD

DRAPERIES

SETTING THE FIGURE

PAINTING THE FIGURE

CONCLUSION

[00-bottom.htm]

Art Resources - Portraits of Pets London - Family Portrait London - - Pet Portraits - UK Artist