The Most Important thing YOU NEED in a Portrait

In this Alla Prima portrait painting tutorial, realist painter Alex Tzavaras shows you how to paint mouths, the key to capturing facial expressions.
For Alex's Alla Prima Portrait Painting Course visit:
/ simplifydrawingandpain...
For Alex's previous demonstration featuring Naomi visit:
• How to Paint Portraits...
Connect with Alex:
/ alex_tzavaras
alextzavaras.com
The most importrant things you need to acheive in a portrait is the paint the facial expression. The facial expression shows us our subjects character and inner life and it's this emotional quality, that the viewer really responds to when they see a portrait painting. So in this oil painting tutorial Alex shows you how to paint facial expressions by painting the mouth, the facial feature that hold the key to capturing the expression
Alex Tzavaras is a contemporary realist artist offering Alla Prima portrait painting and oil painting tutorials. Alex teaches the traditional portrait painting techniques artists used to draw and paint from life up until the start of the 20th century.

[@RatusMax]

You and others helped me in 2020 learn well about painting. After I lost my job in the pandemic, I wanted to finally pick up something I abandoned when I went to college. Digital Painting. My first portrait looked like junk. I did NOT use UNDO , LAYERS, RESHAPE, etc. to fix the problem. I knew if I didn't learn how to do it manually, I would not learn certain skills in assessing the painting. So I decided to come on to KZbin and look at what others were doing. The digital painters kept using special tools and I didn't want to do that. So I found many traditional painting channels including yours to watch. From the hundreds, this is the rare few I come back to. Anyways, for the first 6 months my paintings were a hit or a miss. Some would look great, while others made me wonder if I learned anything. By early 2021, the "the likeness depends on the placement of the larger light and shadow shapes." finally clicked in my mind. After much trial and error and looking through all of my digital paintings I did (which I recorded and watched), I found the ones that had more likeness, were the ones where I took the time at the beginning to place down the larger shapes accurately. When I first started painting, I tried to go straight to the details. It ended up looking like a cousin of the person or sister. This was because the details didn't matter how well I could place the details if the foundation that they sat on was weak. So I told myself to hold out on details and start with the largest broadest shapes, then place slightly smaller shapes, and then smaller and smaller (kind of reminds me of calculus lol) Then at a certain point the shapes are small enough to be considered details. By the end of 2022, I was doing landscapes, cityscapes, people, etc. I created a process that I could see my progress in. Unfortunately, I had to stop this year while I move some stuff around in my life to become more stable so that I can get back to it. I loved art since I was a child. When I abandoned it for a degree that had nothing to do with it, I felt like something was missing. The pandemic and channels like these helped me remember what that was. It's like I can express my soul with it. It gives me a feeling like no other about life and allows me to see the great aspects of it. I have no idea if that's what made me progress so fast. I honestly think it's because instead of being young and just following the crowd, I can finally see passed all that and know that I can progress at my own pace. Obviously also the tips and knowledge in videos like these.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

I'm glad you've found my videos helpful. I also stopped painting for about a decade after I left school. I got back into it again in my late twenties. I hope you get back to it soon.

[@gingerfreak01]

Sounds like you've found your obsession Ratus! I also got back into visual art by doing digital painting. I too hated the shortcuts, Undo especially, until I had a go at painting with oils IRL. Then I realised that Undo was just rubbing the paint off, and Layers were my underpainting with tons of solvent that dried, my next (Undo-able, or rub off-able) layer of paint and the layers on top of those. Your post doesn't say, but have you tried non-digital painting? It's hugely challenging but massively rewarding, far more than digital painting for me. Whatever path you tread though, keep expressing yourself through whatever art you choose.

[@asavchuk]

I don't think that the process of digital painting should be the same as the real thing, because it's just a simulation that can't reproduce all the nuances associated with oil painting yet, such as paint behavior, brush behavior, real color mixing, etc. Also, if artists had an option like `ctrl+z` or layers, then who would not use it, because it makes work easier at some stages?

[@RatusMax]

@@asavchuk The way I learn is different than average people. Most young people fall into a trap of trying to place certain skills together when they should be apart. When I learn, I decouple the painting process with the tools associated with them. The behavior of oil paints (mixing, thickness, brush behavior, etc) is independent of the skills needed to represent the subject on any medium (medium being used here to mean something I paint on or sculpt out of) visually or physically. I create my process up to learn art where I should be able to portrait paint with mud. If I can draw a portrait well with charcoal, digitally paint it on a computer, then I KNOW I can do it with mud. Before doing so, I play around with the mud. See what marks I can do with my fingers. See how it dries on the medium. etc. This is what I call learning what the tools can do. I can do the same with oil paint. While I work on the fundamentals of art on a medium that doesn't cost me much over time, and simply not using UNDO or LAYERS. To get the same reasoning out of fixing the art. I can just sit down with some cheap oil paint and see how the paint interacts, painting simple squares, circles etc. Which I have been doing to predict how it will behave before painting a portrait. Knowing how a pen will interact with paper is independent of what is being represented by the pen stroke. Digital painting is independent of learning how to portrait paint.

[@mariafernandez4087]

@ratusmax what you describe is so amazing! What a great approach you have! When I tried digital painting I was doing it without layers. Just trying the brushes and paints and colors to create something. It all was so unsatisfying, paints and application on the canvas was so disappointing that I looked how to do it properly to improve results. Then when I understood you should work with layers, it got too ITish for me, so far removed from a painting feeling that I gave up on it. I only wished there was an application you could simply pick a canvas, a few brushes and paints and then be able to mix the paints on the screen and paint ha ha! When I find that, I will give it another try.

[@qudusosuntade6441]

Beautiful painting sir, love from Africa

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Qudus!

[@war-painter]

Good stuff Alex. I’m back to painting people after a lifetime of painting other things. My fave video of yours is the “loose painting” one talking about using the biggest brushes (to the point of being uncomfortable). I need to do that MORE. Although I love this one, it reminded me of Hockneys adage about portrait painting being pictures of people “where there was something funny about the mouth”. Her mouth was what nailed it! Good one. Thanks for reminding me not to “fiddle” with brushstrokes!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@dafsaer]

You consider everything with such intricacy and see things which elude others - you think deeply and intelligently with an inquiring mind. It's this ability to root out the detail that makes you so good both at producing stunning artworks and also at explaining it. Thank you.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Simplifying your subject and then routing out which details to focus on while ignoring the rest, is the whole KEY to lifelike painting! learning to do it just takes practice.

[@rafals9221]

I'm Polish and I like the way you explain things. You say what is really important and important in painting.👍

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much! Glad you founf this helpful.

[@dutchamericanman]

Thanks Alex - always instructive.

[@homayounazarnoush5699]

You are a great artist because you can analyze every aspect like a scientist and after that everything is easy to copy, not everyone able to do that.👍💯

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much! Glad you think so.

[@reuvenmagnes2540]

Thanks for posting great photos of your models. They are inspirational and I love painting them.

[@abdulquadir719]

Thank you. It's amazing!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank very much Abdul!

[@leacruz7311]

Thanks, very helpful information!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Lea! Glad you think so.

[@nikkiswenson54]

Excellent tutorial, Alex! Thank you!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Nikki! Glad it was helpful.

[@samulesaxo]

Lovely portrait and lots of interesting information on your process. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful.

[@The_Supernatural_Life]

This is an EXCELLENT video!! The information is exactly what I needed. I didn't consider the mouth to be so important! Now I understand.

[@motlba]

A master class 👋👋. Thank you for so many tips and congratulations on the result.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Mónica!

[@amybaber6630]

Wonderful work! Informative video as always

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Amy! Glad it was helpful.

[@MisterGuitarCoverMan]

Love how you focus on the facial expression thing. Remarkable explanations! And yes, you nailed it this way 👌

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@simonapalosan3208]

So beautiful result and absolutely brilliant explanations about your decisions. I hope I incorporate these in my work.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Simona!

[@suzanneaitken5939]

Fantastic portrait. So soft and beautiful Alex

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Suzanne!

[@debstevenmacioce921]

All your videos are so amazing and informative and inspiring.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@j.p.7914]

Great 👍🏻 thanks 🙏🏻‼️👌🏻

[@terryhand]

It's quite interesting to compare the two portraits. To me the first one is quite dramatic, particularly the contrast between the red hair and darkness of the eyes, but this one is much more subtle and expressive. I like your comment about capturing an expression, rather than deliberately trying to paint some kind of psychological insight into the portrait. To me that is a very valuable lesson - something I had never thought about before.

[@kajwilstorp1483]

just love it soo nice portrait alex keep it coming with your portraits hope you are safe and well

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Kaj.

[@oskar1862]

Really beautiful Alex

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks!

[@Michael-hb8nq]

Very nice, Alex.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Michael!

[@PappuDas-fq1ll]

Always beautiful wark sir .

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much!

[@notmyworld44]

Even though the brush strokes are still visible at 10:45, the likeness to the very lovely model is already remarkable! The female human form and face is doubtless the very zenith of God's ability to create beauty, and artist Alex's ability to re-create in two dimensions what God designed is nothing short of divinely-inspired genius.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Wayne!

[@johnmorgan5495]

Brilliant

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you John!

[@diegoallcore]

The less information in the mouth the better. Amazing!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Diego!

[@PappuDas-fq1ll]

Vary vary important nowlage sir

[@macropsialberto]

Thanks a lot. Always I enjoy your tutos. I have a question, ¿What's your opinion about water-soluble oil? :) thanks again. Best wishes

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Alberto! I may be wrong, but as far as I know most water soluble only use lower grade pigments? I've heard Cobra by Royal Talens are quite good though?

[@dimitrisamorgianos7396]

Another excellent demo, thank you Alex! I try occasionally to copy your works and style, but cannot figure out how to apply the paint on my board without... sinking in a slippery muddy mess! I understand that you paint without using any mediums, except in the very first stage of the toning down of your canvas ... I'll probably try again tonight...

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Dimitris. Are you mixing medium into your paint when you start? If so what are you using?

[@dimitrisamorgianos7396]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting Good morning Alex! No mediums, try to keep it non-toxic. I gues my mistake is that I still act like a... decorator, thinking of multiple layers of paint on top of each other... Whereas Sargent clearly commands that you should think very well before every note you put on canvas and think of it as the final one! Nevertheless, I still cannot but envy your ease when you touch the previous layers of paint with the new color and manage not to muddy your work...

[@welmoede.5998]

Very beautiful portrait and informative video - thank you! In terms of expression I have a tiny observation I'd like to share: I see a bit more 'cheekiness' or 'sharpness' in Naomi's face, mainly in her left eyebrow, which seems slightly more raised / curved in real life, than in your (very soft) portrait.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

This is exactly why the expression is so subjective. I didn't even notice the eyebrow. For the reference image I do not have a camera on the model the whole time, I just shoot 5-10mins of footage. Whereas while I was painting her expression was changing the whole time.

[@jefflpanther]

@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting This is Jeff's wife speaking: I agree with welmoede and another thing I notice is you forgot the very obvious (to me) smile lines.I have noticed men like to soften and prettify women's faces and also, they tend to use young, pretty models almost exclusively. Try painting an old woman just for a change.

[@chandranc.m.4080]

❤❤

[@johngraham4053]

Hi Alex, you left out the line and shadow from the nostril down to the edge of the mouth. Very much part of the face. Was there any season for that?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

I always find over emphazing the naso labial fold makes women look much older.

[@kajwilstorp1483]

must ask when you do construction lines for a portrait what size do you have

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

I normally work around life size or a little under life size. But you can use the same construction lines for any size of portrait, as long as the width is the correct proportion compared to the height.

[@kajwilstorp1483]

what brush should i use in lines to start whit in a portrait what size do you use for a start

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

@@kajwilstorp1483 It doesn't matter too much. Ideally you want the lines to be quite light, so you could use a smaller brush, but you can still achieve faint lines with a larger brush.

[@kajwilstorp1483]

thanks i have 2 and 6 i like them do you use that size to or its always fun to talk whit you @@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting

[@grandpa_eric]

I noticed the crease extending down from her nose on the left side of her face was omitted. Why was that? Would that age a person typically?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Yes. It tends to make women look significantly older. I've just hinted at the nasolabial fold next to the left nostril with a not of warmer flesh colour.

[@gingerfreak01]

Very informative, thanks, and a nice portrait. The vids of her showed her half-smile in her eyes to start with, then just in her mouth, so she looked bored or weary, which you captured. I can't stop seeing her Hitler tache in your painting though.

[@a.t.6657]

What is under her nose?

[@faidagaston844]

the corners of the mouth are the hardest for real 😭😭😭

[@stewartjones2173]

The lady's right jaw line is painted disappearing into her hair whereas in fact the jaw is a much softer line which has a softer continuous curve and at no point does it disappear into.the hair. The hair is warmer in colour.

[@joelabraham708]

no, the expression is the emotional quality that people respond to in _a cartoon_ the emotional reactions people feel when viewing a portrait stem most importantly from its realism and the virtuosity of its composition - if what you're claiming is also true of a boardwalk caricature, then that's not a feature worthy of your focus as a portrait painter

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@stewartjones2173]

I also think you should think about speaking of the.subjects left and. right and not the paintings.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Apologies, but no. I'm a robot, my subjects are just shapes to me. As I talk about in this video, any insight you may think I posses into their character, lies purely in my ability to capture the corners of their mouth.

[@greenatom]

Nose jewelry looks like metal snot.

[@chriseneim1]

Ok so this was cool 100 years ago when there were no cameras but just like cds and dvd and movie theaters they are no longer needed and then we have you taking hours to do an average painting and absolutely over explaining it making my ears bleed. Seriously you just spoke every second of the video. Do you you like hearing your voice? Cause I don’t and I’m sure everyone else would agree. Zip it and use a camera put the portrait dream away it’s not your thing

[@ianfinnity2732]

Such a shame the model has tinfoil stuck over her filtrum …which ruins the entire picture

[@ianfinnity2732]

Unfortunately the mouth and chin areas are nothing like the model.

[@TheLucieFurr]

is that Hitler in Drag????

[@max-ot2ih]

What an inappropriate comment

[@arielceleda4897]

What a video Alex! i love going back in detail to your videos, always find something new that i need to learn, to move forward with my process! In the future ill buy some of your courses as a retribution to all that you teach for free. Thank you, and i wish you the best as always! Hope you are doing well and happy besides the art 💪

[@GreatArtExplained]

Hi Alex - I'm trying to get permission to use a short clip (few seconds) of your film on Alla Prima, for my Great Art Explained KZbin film on John Singer Sargent. Can't find your email, left you a message on Insta but I don't know if you will see that. I'd appreciate it if you could let me know, and I'd credit you and link you - Many thanks, James