Self Portrait Study

This was an exercise in light & shadow. I also want to show that while painting white hair there are many colors making up the highlights & shadows. I used a watercolor medium with water to mix the right consistency of the paint. The more watercolor medium the slower the paint sets up giving ample time to blend the colors.
I used gouache on 140# Canson watercolor paper.

    Here is my best 'recipe' for flesh tone colors:
1. Titanium white
2. Cadmium Red Light
3. Cadmium Yellow Medium
4. Yellow Ochre
5. Burnt Sienna
6. Burnt Umber
7. Ultramarine Blue.
Also have Payne’s Gray on hand to darker tones
For light flesh tones use colors 1, 2, 3, and 5.
For medium flesh tones use 2, 3, 4 and 5.
For dark flesh tones use 2, 5, 6 and 7.
Don't waste your money buying ready-made, so-called flesh tints. Simply mix some white, yellow or golden ochre, and a strong red such as cadmium red. Keep the amount of red to a minimum to avoid going too pinkish. For darker tones, add some Payne's grey.

All you have to do is remember this-"Red, yellow, brown, and white-that is how you mix your skin tones right."