How to Paint Figures of Children From a Photo

Oil Painting Demonstration Depicting Children’s Skin Tones

© Rachel Wills

Sep 24, 2009

Oil painting children may seem quite a hurdle. However, this step-by-step demonstration shows how a satisfactory painting may result by following a few pointers.

Oil Painting Materials Required

1. A suitable photograph of children, preferably in sunlight
2. Oil paints in the following colours: titanium, pthalo blue, ultramarine, cadmium red, permanent rose, cadmium yellow, lemon yellow, viridian, burnt sienna and burnt umber
3. A 12” x 16” (30.5 x 40.5cm) piece of MDF
4. A size 3 and size 6 round sable brushes
5. A ½ inch wide bristle brush
6. A palette consisting of a china plate or varnished wood.
7. Small pot of artists’ white spirits
8. A few rags
9. Soft pencil

Oil Painting Instructions for Figure Painting

The sketch had been carefully transferred onto the painting surface and the photograph kept close at hand. The palest areas of the skin consisted of burnt sienna and white and applied via a fine sable. More burnt sienna was introduced for the darker skin colours and a little blue to express reflection from the sky. As this point, the skin colours will not make sense until the background colours have been blocked in (fig 1)

Painting Instruction on Painting Clothes

A painting of figures looks more effective if the clothes are simplified into two or three colours in order to keep the focal point on the faces. In this case, the children’s dresses consisted of permanent rose and ultramarine with varying amounts of white for one dress, and phthalo blue and white for the other (fig 2). The colours were then blended to soften the creases.

Technique on Painting the Background

With bold strokes, the background colours were blocked in. Detail is not required, but suggestion of a sunny day. Varying amounts of viridian, pthalo blue, lemon yellow and white were used for the foliage; earth colours were used for the playhouse (fig 3).

Figure Painting Tips

With the background painted in, it might be necessary to reinforce the highlights and the shadows of the figures. In a similar way, detail was applied onto the faces via a thin sable with burnt sienna and a little burnt umber. The hair was given the same treatment. The utmost care is required here, as the faces are the most crucial part of the painting. The painting was then completed via the careful delineation of bubbles by a thin mixture of white via a thin sable (fig 4).

Painting the Flesh Tones of a Child

Learning how to paint figures, particularly children, requires practice and good quality photos. The adventurous might try amalgamating several photos into one painting. Painting the palest areas of skin prior to the darks will prevent the darker colours from contaminating the pales. The skin colours will make little sense until the clothes and the background has been painted in. The skin colours may need reworking over, as they might look washed out compared with the background. Further detail and definition will bring out the faces and the hair. A thin and good quality sable brush is essential in portraiture.

Children Blowing Soap Bubbles

Skin Colours in Child Portraiture (fig 1)

Oil Painting Clothes on the Children (fig 2)

The Background to a Figure Painting (fig 3)

Touching up Children's Portraits (fig 4)

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