Choose pictures or paintings that look straight at you. Any rotation of the head rotates facial features as well which makes it super difficult for beginners to draw out for painting. Zoom in so you can see pixels then use the color dropper tool to select various areas of color. This gives you a sense of which colors make up different areas of the face or skin tones. Note that your software’s color chart will only help you out if you can set it to the RYB color model used in painting.

Alternatively, create a fairly light, neutral color mix such as burnt ochre, yellow, and white. Add mineral turpentine until watery, then draft the features onto the canvas. This mix is is transparent and dries quickly, so you can easily paint over it. If you make a mistake, gently dab it away with a dry cloth.

Position of the nose relative to the eyes, and its contours Hair style Eyebrows

Too much white can make the skin look grey. If you want a much lighter skin tone, add a little more yellow. Oil paints are difficult to mix on the painting without muddying them together. Pre-mix the colors you’ll be using on your palette before you begin.

When you paint a face looking straight at you, make every effort to make it symmetrical.

To emphasize shadows and contours, mix together two complementary colors, plus a little bit of white. (You should get a subtle grey that doesn’t overpower your painting. ) Apply a tiny bit to the wet paint and blend with your paintbrush.

If the mistake cannot be fixed by blending, wait patiently for it to dry before you paint over it.

Green, turquoise, and blue are common choices for a backwash that makes the face stand out.