Portrait in steps

Step 1: Started this new portrait on canvas stapled on a board. I always find it easier to do some heavy brushwork, scrubbing and so on with a firm base. The canvas has a light wash of chromatic black already applied. My palette is a classic warm-cold one: Cobalt blue, Magenta, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Orange, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber and chromatic black mixed out of Blue, Magenta and Raw Umber .

Step 2: Throwing in some paint to wipe out later, using Gamsol as a solvent, but Zest-it is as good. Btw. the canvas is about 40x50 cm.

Step 3: Wiping out and blocking in major shapes - the cross is a sort of grid to make it easier to work with negative space, so i keep concentrating on everything which is NOT the head.

Step 4 : Darks first, midtones second . For the lighter midtones this is the first use of titanium white.
Blocking in lighter and warmer values, still with a big brush. At this stage, i still couldn´t care less about any details.

Step 5: Refining the shapes and adding some sharp edges and structure with a palette knife. I also destroy or loosen some egdes with a brush and a rubber shaper.

Step 6: Adding more details with smaller brushes , Bright 10 and 8, one for darker, one for lighter mixtures.

Finishing: More color variation in the warm skintones- green and blue . Cadmium red for the lips and brighter white on the cigarette to make the focal point even stronger. Adding more texture and thick paint with a palette knife, refining the Values and softening some unwanted sharp edges. - Done. About 2 hours.