Using colour to create dynamic portraits

There are many colours that go into a face, and not just the ones you might expect. Hints of green, blue, purple and yellow are all important in creating a dynamic and rich skin tone.

In the work below, I used purple and pink highlights on dark skin to represent a cool undertone - this is contrasted by the warm gold of his laurel crown.

In this next portrait, I used a variety of different colours to bring life into the model’s

skin. Hints of green and purple are used to create neutral shadows and yellow is used to create warm highlights.

In ‘Sappho of Lesbos’, I used cool blues to indicate shadowing on the subject’s face.

I added the cooler highlights in a separate layer in this piece, but I’ve found I prefer to add them in the same layer as the rest of the skin to give depth, rather than the appearance of coloured light or shadow. By mixing unusual colours into the actual skin, it brings the complexion of the character to life and adds a sense of greater realism and depth than by colouring them true to the reference photo.