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COMPOSING FROM LIFE –
Brogan Bertie
Reference Image
Materials
Canvas or wooden panel primed with gesso
Oil paints
Selection of brushes (hog hair and synthetic, including broad brushes)
Palette
Charcoal for sketching
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Setting Up Your Model & Finding a Composition
Working with a live model allows for dynamic decision-making and greater spontaneity. If you’re struggling to find a live model you could bribe a friend with promises of great snacks. When you’ve convinced someone, encourage them to move naturally and settle into a pose that reflects their personality.
To familiarise yourself with your sitter, use quick charcoal sketches. This will also help you to explore different compositions before committing to a final layout. At this stage focus on breaking the subject into abstract shapes first e.g., triangles and rectangles, rather than fine details. It’s important to look for character in the shapes e.g. the angle of the shoulder or the way the head tilts might tell you a lot about the person
Top Tip: Looking at negative space (the space around your subject) can help correct assumptions and improve accuracy.
Beginning the piece
It’s time to start the main painting. To begin, use a diluted mixture of soft Mixing White and Burnt Sienna to sketch directly on your canvas or panel. Keep the sketch loose and responsive and try and avoid rigid outlines. It can be useful to position the head first to give yourself a framework for the rest of the figure. When working from life its good to work instinctively rather than relying on a grid. Try and embrace slight distortions as part of the creative process.
Top Tip: Squint to see major tonal areas before refining details.
Blocking in Colour & Form
Once you’re happy with your sketch, use a large brush to block in major colours. As you apply different blocks of varying tone, you’ll start to see depth appear. It’s also nice to draw with the large brush, following the general lines of the body.
Consider warm vs. cool tones in different areas of the piece. Where your model exudes a feeling of warmth, it might be nice to block in some warmer colours in the background or on the chair/cushions they’re sitting on to soften up the overall piece.
When you reach the face don’t suddenly focus in on the details, you still want to be blocking in but on a smaller scale. Try and still focus on the shapes and broad swathes of colour. Look for unexpected hues in skin tones like purples, blues, and reds. This will add depth and realism.
Refining Features & Adding Contrast
As you begin to refine your painting, start to use less liquin. Allowing yourself thicker marks will ground the painting on top of the initial layer and will help to add texture and richness. Pay attention to the edges using both soft, blended transitions and crisp, defined areas to create drama.
When painting hair, focus on its weight and movement rather than individual strands.
Top Tip: The goal isn’t photorealism but capturing essence and emotion—likeness can be expressive rather than exact.
Final Touches & Capturing the Essence
Step back to assess the whole portrait and adjust areas that need more balance. Leave some areas less refined to maintain a sense of movement and immediacy.
Top Tip: Ditch the photograph for now and have a go!
