Portrait Painting Workshop: The Flemish Technique

Flemish painting flourished from the early 15th century until the 17th century, gradually becoming distinct from the painting of the rest of the Low Countries, especially the modern Netherlands.

The portraits that were produced prioritise the realistic depiction of three-dimensional form, natural colour and light, achieving likeness of the sitter, and conveying character and mood.

7-Layer Technique

The traditional Flemish approach is a precise, multi-stage process that can take up to seven layers including:

• Preparation
• Drawing
• Imprimatura (or toned ground)
• Umber underlayer
• Grisaille (or “dead layer”)
• Colour glazing
• Detailing, including alla prima elements
• Final highlights

Facial Features

We will look at each individual facial feature: the eye, the nose, the mouth, the ear, and hair, and you will learn how each form is constructed. The structure and anatomy of these features, common painting errors and misjudgements, and lots of practised examples will combine to give you a comprehensive guide.

Measurement, Proportion & Perspective

The more accurate we are in our painting – or true to nature – the more realistic and believable our portrait paintings will be. Developing good measuring skills is therefore essential. Measuring does not just relate to height, width, outline, and proportion; it also includes measuring a cast shadow, for instance, or where the highlight is, which then affects how we interpret the fall of light and the forms of the face and head.

Colour Strategies

We will examine some colour theory and how it can help us choose and organise our palettes and mix colours effectively. A sound understanding of colour and colour mixing will enable you to find the right colour(s) quickly and relatively easily.