Buy Or Order A Unique Chiang Mai Portrait Painting

The spirited night noted in Chiang Mai is one of this historic citys star attractions. It is the most prototype spot to purchase inexpensive products equal considering silk, regalia, hand crafts, apparel, DVDs, CDs and prohibitively of other fantastic gift items and souvenirs.

Chiang Mai is and famous for housing some of the worlds most professional and experienced portrait painting artists. Visitors strolling around the Night Bazaar will notice the many portrait painters creating brilliant lifelike photo reproductions. It is truly fascinating seeing how meticulously they paint oil color portraits, sepia color portraits, pastel color portraits and black and while charcoal pencil portraits right on site.

The subjects they immortalize on paper vary from colorful hill - tribe people, famous rock stars like Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and Jim Morrison, to award winning photos such as National Geographic magazines frightened looking Afghan woman with the piercing green eyes.

Fortunately it is not necessary for people to travel to Chiang Mai getting an everlasting magnificent and artistic souvenir from the Night Bazaar. Theres a reliable online portrait paintings provider offering affordably priced works, created by educated and skilful artists. On their site customers can upload their most precious photograph, which will be turned into a lifelike portrait painting.

Some online portrait painting suppliers may offer very low rates, but be cautious as most likely the portraits will be painted by artists not having enjoyed art school education or have just began with their art education, so when portraits have been completed the quality is low and it is difficult to refuse to pay for their sketch once its finished.

Capture Your Photo In A Perfect Portrait Painting

You all must be fine aware of the hypothesis of capturing those precious moments of your life in the conformation of a photo or a picture. While it still holds very, there is nonbeing whereas classy because having your beautiful moments captured in the structure of portrait paintings. This is owing to these portrait paintings are associated with a sense of timeless beauty and sheer sophistication which can add volumes of depth to that special moment of yours.

You will come across thousands of artists who have a great deal of experience in converting digitally clicked photos into portrait paintings. They will create an exact replica of your photo with careful and professional strokes of their brush. In addition to this, these timeless bronze sculptures are produced on the finest of materials so that they look even better than the original picture and have a good life.

Portrait paintings are not only suitable to adorn the walls of your own home and add a touch of class to the room, but these make for one of the best items that you can gift to a loved one. This exquisite gift will capture all the beautiful memories and love in the most perfect manner. Hence, it can become a perfect gift for your spouse / girlfriend, kids, birthday, wedding ceremony, graduation ceremony and the list is endless. There can never be a dearth of such occasions and the value of portrait paintings as the perfect gift item will never fade in its glory.

All you need to do is to choose an artist whose work you like and send the picture which you want to convert into a painting. However, you must exercise a lot of caution while making your choice so that you get value for your money as these portrait paintings can cost you a lot of money because of the huge amount of efforts the artist has to put in.

Getting Started With Portrait Painting in Oil or Watercolor

Portraiture is doubtless one of the most betrothed of painting genres. People just tenderness finding out about other people, and for centuries portraits were the equivalents of today ' s paparazzi pictures. Back in the days before cameras were make-believe, portraits were the individual way that ordinary people could see what public figures like kings, princesses or generals looked like. A portrait painting in oil or watercolour often served because a means to panoply people an ideal picture of the power, beauty and other virtues these people were supposed to possess.

As time went by, a portrait painting in oil or watercolour took on a more personal significance as portraits began to be painted as keepsakes and memorabilia. It was even the practice for sweethearts to exchange miniature portraits of each other in much the same way as they exchange photographs today.

If you ' re interested in portrait painting in oil or watercolour whether as a hobby or as a means to generate a little extra income, here are some tips on how to get started.

Before you can start creating portraits in oil or watercolour, you will have to familiarize yourself with the media you ' ve chosen. Oils and watercolours require different techniques. Watercolor paintings are usually created on boards or heavy paper. They require allowing one layer to dry before adding a second one, meaning that the artist must always be conscious of working with light colors first before progressing to dark ones.

With oil painting, the artist usually works on a cloth canvas or wooden board. Successive layers can be applied even without drying previous ones, which allows for wet - on - wet painting and greater freedom to experiment with technique.

If you ' re serious about painting in oil or watercolour, you ' ll also have to study human anatomy, since the human figure is the foundation of good portraiture. There are many established guides to help you with this; you may even use a medical text if you desire.

Finally, portraiture requires a genuine interest in people and the stories of their lives. When you ' re doing a portrait, make it a point to talk to your subject and look into his or her eyes. This way, you get the chance to become acquainted with his or her personality. Having relevant insights about a subject ' s character and being able to imbue your painting with a sense of his or her visions, hopes and dreams will go a long way towards making you a successful portrait painter.

Handmade Custom Oil Portrait Painting

Photography and painting are art forms and they are considered to be means of creative expressions. However, they do not have multifold characteristics in prosaic. Painting was a popular importance steady before photography came into existence. When the camera work was phony, numerous believed that this would put an head to the normal art style. However, the artists never off-track their curiosity in portrait painting, thence both these co - existed. With the introduction of the digital cameras, trim the amateurs with no specific skills began investing their time in clicking the pictures. However, it needs exclusive skills to spread colors on the canvas beautifully. Photos are considered to be the easiest means of preserving memories. Flat though the technology is advanced, these images do not have the longevity of paintings. If you believe that pictures are priceless, you would admire the professional portrait painting.

Converting photos to paintings is a revolutionary practice. Many are not even aware about the existence of artists who master this. This unique profession demands an artistic sense and creative talent. Photo to painting service offers museum quality to the finished works. Regardless of the type of the photograph that you want to convert, the professionals can do it for you. Wedding portraits are the most common, as people love to preserve the precious moments of their lives forever. Other major categories are self, pet, child, family, landscape, etc. These can be exclusive gifts to your loved ones. Family portraits are considered to be the best anniversary gifts, especially for your parents.

Hand painted art works on canvas would certainly mesmerize you. Decades ago, it was necessary for you to pose as a subject if you wanted to create your portrait painting. The time constraints make this venture inconvenient. All you need to do today is send your photograph to the professionals. Additional services like photo editing are offered by the service providers. Only a magnificent reference image can aid in the creation of an excellent output.

Art lovers across the world like to purchase paintings. However, the expensiveness of the originals makes it impossible for an average person to even consider this. You might have to stick to the amateurish works that would not provide you personal satisfaction. Custom oil paintings are ideal choices as wall decor. Replicas of the works of master artists can be created. Most of the homeowners are keen in investing money to enhance the interior decor of their property. Beautiful replicas can add sophistication to the indoor environment.

There is software that can create portrait painting for you. However, the final output is not even close to being perfect when compared to handmade replicas. The companies that specialize in this ensure that their services are affordable. You would be paying only a certain percentage of the price in advance. There are no hidden unexpected charges that you would be burdened with. The professionals can capture any special moments of your life. Your memories of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or even your first home can be ideal for the endeavor. Finest paints and excellent canvases ensure the outcome is everlasting. High quality paintings are valuable assets that stay intact for decades.

Handmade Portrait Painting - Self Portraits, Pet Portraits

Handmade Portrait Painting

Handmade portrait painting created from a photograph is certainly a especial good concept when it comes to souvenir someone special on an time or for the dcor of your house. You can surprise your loved one, friends or folks by bequest a portrait painting created by professional artists. Anyone can get delighted on receipt a especial painting which is unique and an eternal mind's eye to be collectible stretch. You can convert your photograph into a beautiful painting which is confessed since handmade portrait painting. Exact several photos can be combined into one portrait painting. If you need to gift something unique, then a portrait painting is an excellent gifting idea. If you gift an old couple a portrait painting converted from their wedding photo, they would be delighted on receiving that as they will remember their past happy moments. A pet portrait painting can be gifted to a pet lover as he / she will surely like it as it is personalized just for that person. A religious person can be gifted a religious painting like a painting of Jesus. So, a photo to painting is a wonderful gift idea as it can please anybody on any occasion.

Self Portraits

If you are thinking of gifting a unique painting to your girlfriend on Valentines Day, then you can get her photograph converted into a beautiful self portrait painting with a red or pink background. It will be the most romantic gift isnt it? Not only for gifting, but you can also get a sself portrait painting created for hanging on the wall of your living room or a bedroom for the dcor of your house. The unique self portrait of yours will be noticed by all visitors and appreciated too. The best thing about self portraits is that they can be customized and personalized as per your choice. You can request real live painters to paint natural scenario in the background or a color / gradient of your choice. You can also ask the portrait painter to combine more than 2 photographs and create a unique self portrait of your choice.

Pet Portraits

A pet portrait can be a great way to show your love towards your pets. If you want to cherish your memories with your beloved pet for the life time, then a pet portrait can be the best option for you. All you have to do is present a photograph of your pet to a real live painter and get a beautiful painting of your pet created. You can hang it on the wall of your bedroom and live the memories of your pet for a lifetime. You can keep your memories live with a digital photograph also but a pet portrait painting makes lot of difference when it comes to originality and capturing the spark or spirit of each moment that you cherish.

Now, when you are convinced with the idea of getting a handmade portrait painting created for yourself or gifting a loved one, you must be wondering as to from where you should order, so that you can make this experience satisfying. vonRG provides you the facility of ordering handmade portrait paintings online. The paintings are provided with the frame or on the rolled canvas, depending on your personal preferences. We owe a lot of happiness for our near and dear ones and of course for ourselves too. So, it would be a great idea to present a personalized handmade portrait painting for plenty of happiness and surprises. Visit the gallery of http: / / www. kunst - oelgemaelde. de and order the handmade portrait painting of your choice.

Oil Painting Reproductions Uk Decorate Your Home With Famous Art Oil Paintings And Portrait Painting

Possibly the best rasher is that you are not purchasing a manufactured copy of the painting. Youre not ordering mass created art. Each oil painting reproduction is hand created by actual painters and artists who have been specially trained thus they can carefully and accurately revamp the works of agnate superior artists over Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso and others. Each piece may be a reproduction, but each is also unique with minor differences incorporated by the different artists.

There are inasmuch as legion beautiful works of art in the sphere but most are housed in museums and galleries around the apple position innumerable people dont have the chance to see them. First off, however, copious talented artists are capturing the beauty of these masterpieces and the general public is being obsessed the scope to buy these oil paintings at an affordable price. How? Through an breathtaking method called oil painting reproduction.

It can be an estimable ecstasy I know. Still, there is something uniquely charming about oil paintings isn ' t it? Precise those who are not heavily into art find themselves staring at art gallery oil paintings, completely mesmerised. A big inadvertence that the concepts oil paintings and affordable do not vitality calm. This miscalculation is based on recent scholarship, from times when art was unparalleled found in museums and in the homes of high society people.

However, this perception has gradually at variance, and through duration went on, society has realised that the slant of affordable art does exist, and people can decorate their homes with affordable art alternatives.

Any form of art be it paintings is a special creation of an artist be famous or unknown created them with passion. It may be possible that in the beginning people may take up any art as a hobby or just a time pass but soon in the future they came to realise that it is something they always wanted to do in their life and with time then it become a serious ambition for them to carry on for whole of their life. They listen to their inner consciousness and commit themselves to art. They hope to become the next Leonard da Vinci, Van Gogh or Klimt or Kandinsky. They begin to accurately recreate the works of such revered artists as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso and others. Each piece may be a reproduction, but each is also unique with minor differences incorporated by the different artists. It is from this inspiration that they develop their own styles and unique expression. Their love for the great masters, they devote themselves to work for art reproduction companies hoping to eradicate the misconception that the rich can only appreciate these great oil paintings.

Although, oil paintings reproductions are more affordable than original paintings, they are both equally majestic. The vibrant colours, sharpness of the images in the painting have a dramatic effect on all those who enter the room. In addition oil paintings reproductions easily translate the image into feelings and mode to the surroundings. Such as a mellow pastel oil painting will create a quiet withdrawing area, and a tranquil landscape, other scenic painting will be the right environment for an office space. All wall dcor, and mainly oil paintings, have an impact on all those who enter the room. It is important to remember when choosing oil paintings reproductions, that neither the subject nor the colours should create an overwhelming feeling to the room. There is much significance to the location in which the oil paintings are hung. Careful not to clutter the paintings, this can cause confusion in the room instead of the mood that you were originally aiming for.

Various companies like http: / / www. gfmpainting. co. uk are selling oil painting reproductions using skilled artists. Such companies hire artists who create oil painting reproductions according to their clients choice. Companies even offer people an extensive online art gallery where they can browse and choose the paintings for their home or office.

Just give it a try; go online and have a look at oil painting reproductions and you will soon realise that these ' beauties ' deserve a space on your wall too. However, if you want an oil painting ' original ', why not commission an oil painter?

It is the dream of every homeowner to beautify their house so as to attract gazes of wonder and admiration from their guests and visitors. A persons living room is the focal point of everyones attention. As such, it should be well furnished and decorated. You can now use elegant oil painting reproductions at a very low price for decorating your house. While decorating your house with some of the fine art works of famous painters, it is always not easy to find the right painting. Whether its an original painting or an oil painting reproduction, abstract painting or contemporary painting, a connoisseur of art will have a tough time in selecting the perfect painting among the many. People often love to decorate their house with the painting they want. Due to the high price of an authentic painting, they are keen to buy oil painting reproductions according to their choice at low prices.

Decorate your office walls with oil painting reproductions of famous artists if you are on a tight budget. In order to add colour and glitter to your office dcor, you can use various oil painting reproductions. Now at an affordable price, you can hang famous painting reproductions by skilled artists. Your wall dcor will become the attention - seeker for all the guests entering your room. An ordinary dull wall can be smartening up by hanging gorgeous oil painting reproductions.

Oil paintings of friend and loved ones are one of the best gift options available these days. You can also gift an oil painting reproduction, abstract painting or contemporary painting, wedding portrait, child portrait, family portrait, baby portrait, and pet portraits of your loved ones to your friend and bring a smile to his or her face. A beautifully painted portrait on canvas by portrait artist is the most effective way to convey a message to your loved one that you truly care about his or her happiness.

Portrait Painting Techniques - How To Paint People From Photos

Therefrom, you ' ve voyage into the art of portrait painting techniques and want to learn how to paint people. The artist that comes here all told is embarking on a fine art patience and deserves acutely of praise. Years ago, in the age of Renoir, great portrait artists were on their own owing to far through learning portrait painting techniques. Today ' s artists have the power to use photos and mold those photos, making portrait painting easier than ever! Following are some portrait painting techniques. Use these techniques with component medium and finally learn how to paint people.

Prepare and Gather Your Reference Photos

You will need three photos or pictures. The first is a black and white copy of the exact pose you will be painting. This copy must be the exact size of the finished portrait as well. The next photo you will need is any size of a color copy. The last will be a color one where you have manipulated the colors.

1. Black and White Photo

Enlarge a black and white photo of the portrait that you will be painting on your computer. Print a copy in the desired size you want your portrait to be. This copy should at the very least be an 8 x 10, the larger, the better. The reason for black and white is basically so that you conserve color ink. You will use this copy to compare measurements to. You may also use this copy to determine skin tone values. This will be your working copy and will be discarded when finished. Plain white printer paper works best.

2. Colored Photo

Next, you will need the same pose but the photo is going to need to be colored. It doesn ' t matter what size it is, but know that the larger the better. This colored copy will be used to match skin colors and to identify shadows and highlighted areas. When I paint people in portraits, I often place this colored copy into a clear food storage bag or see through sheet protector so that I don ' t get paint on it. This colored copy is used for checking skin tone colors and for referencing lights and darks throughout your work.

3. Colored Manipulated Photo

The third picture I use in my studio is a colored one that I have enhanced or manipulated the colors. The colors you use or change it to really doesn ' t matter. The idea is to change the colors so that the changes in skin color are more noticeable and obvious in the photo. This way there is no guess work involved when you are trying to see where a shadow or highlight starts or ends.

These are just a few portrait painting techniques that great portrait artists use to create lifelike paintings today. So take the time to find and print your working, black and white, your colored reference, and your colored manipulated photos to use as you begin your next portrait painting experience.

Portrait Painting Techniques - Painting Portraits From Photos

Learning portrait painting techniques and how to paint portraits from photos is due to easy whereas 1, 2, 3. I know this sounds twaddle, but if you think of the progress of the painting in that steps and frame upon each step, it positively is easy to paint portraits from photos. Use these steps, techniques, and tools with allotment painting footing whether it be oil, acrylic or watercolor paint.

Step One

Step one of the is ideal important! Choose the subject that you want to paint and get a good sketch on the canvas or paper. The photo that you choose certainly needs to be halcyon and easy to make out all the details necessary for the painting. There are several ways to get a good sketch on the canvas aligned if you have never drew or painted before.

A few methods that artists use are the grid method footing a grid of equal squares is placed over the reference photo and fresh grid of equal squares is lightly drawn on the canvas. You then replicate each square individually with pencil lines. If you want the painting to be larger than the photo, you simply use larger squares.

An easier method of getting an accurate sketch is to use a large photo copy print of the photo. The copy should be at least an 8x10, if not larger. Place this print on a window. On the back or " wrong " side of the copy trace all the lines of the facial features, hair, clothes, etc. Now place the paper traced side down on the canvas and repeat the process on the " right " side of the photo. You should be able to replicate the exact likeness of the photo! There are of course other methods, but these are the most common.

Step Two

The next portrait painting technique for the acrylic or watercolor portrait is to begin adding color to the canvas. Use a watery wash or thinned down version of the skin color and block in the entire skin area including the entire head where the hair will be. Step two in the process will take several layers of color to achieve realistic results.

As you work, be careful not to cover up your sketch lines until you are sure that you don ' t need them anymore. Continue to mimic the photo, adding darker pigment where the shadows are, and lighter colors where highlights are. Remember in watercolors, it is very hard, if not impossible to lighten areas that are too dark, so be careful not to darken the areas that you want kept highlighted.

Here is another trick that I use to know exactly where to apply various shades of color. I look at yet another photo in which I have manipulated the colors on the computer. I enhance the colors so that they are exaggerated. This way there is no guess as to where the shades change in the portrait.

If you are using oil paint, you will pre - mix the skin tone colors. Find three main colors of the skin. An average color, highlight and shadow colors. You can enlarge sections of a digital photo on the computer, so that you can clearly see the colors. If you want to, you can even mix colors that are in between these three main colors.

When all the colors are mixed, carefully apply to the portrait. Then blend the different shades into one and other. Wipe the brush clean in between.

Step Three

The last technique is to refine and detail the portrait as you work. Your painted portrait should be as close to exact proportionally as the photo that you are working from. You can use a ruler or proportional divider to measure and make adjustments as you work. Final highlights or shadows may be just what is needed in detailing your painting.

Another good portrait painting technique is to simply walk away from your work when you are getting tired or frustrated. When you feel that your painting is nearing completion, you may find it helpful to spend a day or two away from it and then look and work to detail it with a fresh eye.

So remember to think of your portrait painting efforts as step to follow and build upon. Todays ' portrait painting artists have many tools available to help them master this awesome hobby. Don ' t be afraid to try new techniques, tools and methods as you work from photos to produce lifelike portrait paintings.

Some Quick Tips On Quality Portrait Painting

Creating a portrait can sometimes be a protest for some artists. Portraits are not that easy to create, since in this type of painting, models pertain to real humans. Temper resembling in that trees, mountains, sunsets, and flowers are a lot easier to create compared to the attributes of a human. Like now, there is no instigation for every artist to give up this should serve in that their biggest ultimatum, most especially for beginners. It is standard that at least crack, most people will not get a perfect idol but being able to finish one quality portrait painting is a huge achievement.

This genre of painting requires patience and determination. Every single detail of human images should be fully drawn one single mistake can mess up the whole portrait. There is no need to worry though; everything can be achieved with proper practice and experience. In addition, here are some quick tips to help you create a quality portrait painting.

Before you paint, every artist knows that they need a subject or a model. If you are already, a pro, then live models or subjects can be used. However, if you are just starting in this field, you can start with photographs since live subjects tend to move from time to time, or can only stay still for a certain period.

Since you want to ensure that you will end up having a quality portrait painting, try to pick your pallet. Some artists are comfortable using watercolor or even an oil pastel. Now, this option will depend upon your convenience and mastery of the medium itself.

If you chose to have a live subject, make that your subject is comfortable with his / her pose. It is also important that you choose proper lighting. Remember, being able to create an excellent portrait painting will not just depend on how beautiful or handsome your model is. It will all depend upon proper positioning, and proper lighting.

If you prefer natural sunlight, that is fine, but as time passes, there is a tendency that the amount of light at this time can be different from the amount of light while you are painting.

If you chose a subject from a photograph, make sure that the photograph is not too small. It should be visible enough for you to see even the smallest details. An excellent quality portrait painting can be achieved with high quality and high - resolution pictures.

Lastly, the process itself is very important. If you want to create an excellent quality portrait painting, you have to choose the most convenient way to paint. Some artists have their own style, or maneuvers that make them feel more relaxed. This is better since you will be able to do it your own way.

There is no specific rule that an artist should follow, but there are a couple of secrets that each artist should know to be able to come up with a quality portrait painting: be confident in what you are doing and always believe in yourself. No matter how beautiful your portrait is if you do not know how to appreciate it, will you expect that others will appreciate it as well.

The Art Of Portraiture And Portrait Painting

Nowadays portraiture and portrait painting is an art and has an international fascination. And, people who work out the art of pictures have the main aspect that facilitates their efficiency. They have the resourcefulness to trail what they see. This is exceedingly entertaining and motivating. Furthermore, the potentiality allows them to indicate in it manifestation their illustration pictures. They come out intensely real.

These Portraits scene the works of art close thanks to a person ' s, an pig ' s or a class ' s illustration. These images are highly virtuous and attractive in their texture. So, they hook up with people about the unique or pet in their presentation. Also, they are not just without reservation a discernable but show off the individual or the pet. This may expose more about the individual or the animal ' s appearance.

These paintings introductions may not be apparent. However, this may be effectively a clear indication through a way of articulated idea or existence of the product. The portraiture art of changing pictures into art work is one of the excellent techniques of oil art work. This can also occur through the way the expert has used color through the drawing process.

Similarly, a wide range of images can be colored to make them more appealing. This may contain pictures of children, close relatives, weddings and preferred creatures, houses and landscapes, military and expert or organization and organization pictures. Favorable factors that can be taken can actually be hand painted.

Hand - painted images can be unique, and thus customization may be done easily. This helps to enhance their value. Any image valued can be developed into portraiture. A person can have it specifically shaded so that he or she has a finished portrait. This can occur only in the best components.

Oil artwork is created in a top excellent way. Also, fantastic material of the pictures should only be canvassed. A difference of the two will offer a presentation of the expecting the surf that pictures cannot show. When you get your symbol hand painted, the pictures that you had gotten a home. They will become a memory and thus your baby will value it terribly much. You will then be able to considerably appreciate them for many decades.

Artists can offer any portrait painting that an individual may wish to have. For example, an expert can remove people or sketch other portrait from various images. Also, they can modify the background to suit your taste and preference. The art has motivated many to take advantages and obtain treasured pictures for any event that can become a memorial at any particular time or period.

I have years of experience in penning down ideas on art work for Portrait Painting. In this article, I offer information on hand painted portrait painting and you also can find them at http: / / www. portraitpaintingcanada. com /.

Useful Portrait Painting Techniques for Beginners

The talent to paint portraits is plain one of the most sought - after skills in an artist. When you proclaim your friends that you ' ve been dabbling in painting, they ' re most likely bit to ask, " Can you do a painting of me "? Portraits have been painted since antiquity; in the blastoff they were created for ceremonial reasons and in that a means of certificate, making portrait painting techniques essential for all painters. Over shift passed, they were made for supplementary personal and dear reasons.

If you plan on learning how to paint lifelike portraits, here are some useful portrait painting techniques for beginners.

The foremost of portrait painting techniques is remembering that the human figure follows a number of set proportions. An adult ' s height is usually seven times that of the distance from his crown to his chin. This is the same distance from his chin to his chest, from the chest to the waist, and from the waist to the pelvic region. Da Vinci ' s Vetruvian man is usually the figure to reference when working with human proportions. Take note that babies and children have markedly different proportions; their heads are larger in relation to the rest of their bodies so you might have to use four to five heads instead of seven.

Facial features also follow set proportions, although it is the slight variations in these that make each human face unique. The head is generally egg - shaped and divided into three sections of equal length from crown to brow, brow to nose and nose to chin.

Once you ' ve sketched in the subject ' s features and followed the proportions as a guide, it ' s time to think about putting on the paint and color. Good portrait painting techniques direct you to fill in large areas of color first, and then work in the shadows. It ' s better to mix your own colors for the skin rather than use pre - packaged flesh tints as these can look rather flat. Caucasian skin contains pink, white and blue pigments, while olive skin contains ochres and yellows in addition. African skin can contain both ochres and blues.

When rendering the hair, make sure you don ' t paint individual strands. Treat the head of hair as a whole, and add shadows, low lights and high lights as necessary. This will result in a soft, realistic texture that will do much towards making your picture come alive. Finally, one of the most common portrait painting techniques to check for balance and proportion is to look at your painting in a mirror or turn it upside down. This will help you identify any flaws in composition.