How to Paint Skin Tones With Acrylics
- 1). Choose one of the following combination of colors for individualized skin tones.
For pale skin: A. Burnt sienna, raw umber, white; B. Burnt sienna, cadmium red, white; C. Burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, white; D. Burnt sienna, cadmium yellow, white; E. Burnt sienna, lemon yellow, white; F. Burnt sienna, ultra marine, white.
For brown skin: A. Cadmium yellow, burnt umber; B. Yellow ochre, raw umber, cadmium red.
A visual color chart for these combinations are referenced below. (see REF 2)) - 2). Apply dabs of paint from one combination above to the outer edge of the palette. Using a damp brush, take three or more brush-fulls of one color and apply it to the center of the palette. This is the base color and all colors will be mixed into it.
- 3). Add brush-fulls of the second color into the first. Blend them together with the brush. Between colors, roll the brush against the edge of the blended color to allow the paint to stay on the palette. Keep the brush fairly clean. Either roll it on the palette or dip it in water, then wipe it on the rag.
- 4). Mix the third color in and blend. Adjust the color by adding bits of each color until a satisfactory tone is achieved. Add white to this mix to lighten it. Acrylics can be blended on watercolor paper or canvas before they dry. If the paint has dried, it can be layered with another. The skin tones of males are mainly depicted as a little darker than women. Children have lighter skin tones and both children and infants have characteristic red cheeks. Ears, noses and cheeks are reddened because of the blood flow to those areas. Paint older skin tones with less red, as blood supply lessons as we age. (see REF 1)
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