Winter is Coming! Capturing the blues

Capturing the Blues: A Study in Monochromatic Oil Portraiture, featuring Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones




There is something uniquely challenging and incredibly rewarding about stripping away the full color spectrum and forcing yourself to see the world through a single hue. I recently finished this small oil portrait (roughly 10" x 8"), and it was an exercise in pure value, atmosphere, and light.

The Foundation: Crafting the Surface

Before the paint even touched the surface, this piece started as a hands-on experiment. I wanted the stability of a wooden board but the organic texture of a canvas. To achieve this, I pasted a thin cotton cloth directly onto the wood, sealing and priming it with three precise coats of gesso. The result was a beautifully textured, responsive surface that allowed the oil paint to glide smoothly while retaining a lovely, subtle grain.

The Palette: The Power of Two Blues
When working in a monochrome style, your choice of pigment dictates the entire mood. For this portrait, I leaned heavily on two of my favorites - Ultramarine blue and Cobalt Blue. Cobalt provided the brilliant, luminous mid-tones, while Ultramarine allowed me to dive into deep, rich shadows.

To avoid the flatness that often comes with using a standard black paint, I mixed Ultramarine with Burnt Umber to create a deep, chromatic dark for the heavy shadows. For a subtle touch of warmth and weight in the lips, I mixed a tiny hint of Crimson Lake into the blue.

Chasing the Light

With the colors restricted, the entire focus of the painting shifted to contrast and edge control. The striking, crisp line where the light cuts across the face creates a dramatic, cinematic division. It forces the viewer's eye right into the focal point: the open eye, where I focused on capturing the translucent, reflective quality of the iris and the sharp glance of the highlight.

Working on a smaller scale forces you to be deliberate with your brushstrokes, ensuring that every shift in value helps define the form of the face. It’s amazing how much drama you can pack into a small space when you let the shadows do the talking.

Every painting feels like a personal journey, but the most rewarding part is seeing where that journey ends. This portrait was purchased by a friend as a gift for her sister, who is an avid art collector. Knowing that it now lives in an art collection where it is appreciated is the ultimate compliment for any artist.

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