This is a great video for anyone interested in portrait painting. Normally you would expect to pay a lot for instruction of this depth and quality. Just great ..Thanks Alex Tzavaras.
I second many of the positive sentiments and agree that there is nothing out there that compares in quality and lack of bs. Immensly useful and thoughtful. Thank you Alex!
It's really interesting how artists can spot the confidence in other artists' work, and the techniques they used. Regular viewers can see the painting as appealing, but painters can really delve deep into why it's appealing, and admire the author on a whole new level.
I think that's the same for any craft. I might watch a film and really enjoy it, but not really be aware of how well it's crafted, acting, cinematography etc. unless I'd studied film.
Superb. I often stop watching any video that doesn't keep the reference in view. Your visuals and excellent discussion of innumerable key points makes this outstanding instruction. I hope to get my schedule enhanced to allow me to do some patreon videos and actually find time to paint! Thank you.
Having watched the entire video I can say that this is the study of this painting that is most true to Velasquez. It also happens to be one of the nicest portraits of your’s that I’ve seen
Ironically I’d add that for myself when I do a particularly good job on a study I’m kind of disappointed because it’s not an original work. Weird because as an artist you still all the work but perhaps because the composition wasn’t yours. What is everyone else’s thoughts?
I always feel that way whenever I do a master copy. They always seem to come out better than one's normal work. But then you're borrowing from a greater artists. We hope, that some it rubs off on us.
SIMPLIFY Drawing & Painting yes. I imagine that if a musician plays their own composition they feel a similar special satisfaction as when a visual artist completes a unique work. Of course musicians play classical works without any shame, likewise realist painters should feel no compunction against doing master studies. Master studies are incredible opportunities to learn and improve on your own.
I continue to feel so grateful as I watch the third video. The depth and personal quality of the instruction here is second to none. I have been painting for decades, and this is the most comprehensive teaching on portrait painting I have ever found. Thank you so much Alex.
Thank you very much Mikey! When I did this, people had been asking me to do a real time demo for TH-cam for sometime. But it hasn't had as many views as some of my other videos.
It is impossible for the lower middle class in some Asian countries to buy such a good lesson with the equivalent of foreign money. So many many thanks Master for helping with these free lessons.
I just found your videos and I have been binging them! I am a digital painter and so much of this I relate back to my work. Thank you so much for these tutorials and demos!
I’m a sculpture and i never draw or paint, but i enjoy watching you painting so much its so relaxing 👍🏻 i will definitely recommend you channel to all my Facebook friends 👍🏻
Wow , great job , you flattered the hell out of him. You took a chubby cheek round face guy and made him into someone right out of Saturday night fever hahahaha. You took a afro and scraggly mustache and beard fixed him up with a great hair stylist. You hooked him up and brought this moorish slave into the 2000s with style. 👍 I love it.
Hi..Really enjoy your tutorials..!I am following them only a few days and I must say I am enjoying your videos a lot..your explanation is very easy to follow ..thank you for teaching us..greetings from Croatia..looking forward to other tutorials..👋😃👍🏻
My favorite tip: using the tip of the brush handle to first lay in the location of highlights, and to make drawing corrections. I can not tell you how many times I've tried to do this with frustration directly with the brush.
This is a great painting and tutorial. Thank you for producing this. Something though, I'm not absolutely sure about it but if you zoom in very closely on the original painting by Velazquez it appears that he began this portrait with a complete outline drawing of the man's likeness before he began painting in full tonal values and colors.
I'm not entirely sure exactly how Velázquez started his painting. I think he would have done an underdrawing and built up the colour using layers of different glazes.
Thank you, you have a gift for teaching, and you work is stunning! Are you painting from the reference we see? If so, are you changing the value and temperature seen on the reference for a reason? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Thanks you very much. The reference I used for the this is downloaded from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website. There is a link in the description. My flesh colours do appear a lot lighter in the video than in the reference. I probably did make them a little too light but the exposure setting on the camera also make them appear lighter. One of the difficulties of filming paintings. They also appear slightly different than the colours on the palette which look warmer.
Yes. He did paint this as practice, because he knew he wouldn't have much time with the pope. Though he did also display this painting in Rome it received great acclaim. Someone wrote that he apparently had Juan stand next to the painting and people couldn't tell them apart. I love Pope Innocent too, they are two of my all time favourite paintings.
This is an Alla Prima study, which I painted in a single sitting. I did use some glazes in the black hair and beard, even though the paint underneath was still wet
SIMPLIFY Drawing & Painting thanks. You kept the planes and edges under control and nicely separated . I find for myself that ala prima portraits can get a bit sloppy . I usually can only take a block in so far before I should let the layer dry and come back. Fully ala prima means worrying about shape, proportions, values, hue, chroma and edges all in one go. It is very challenging. You pulled off a wonderful study. Congratulations
Alex, your demos and skill are nonpareil. Do you consider or can you replicate drawing this way in either charcoal or oil painting styles with digital tools such as Photoshop or Fresco? Your thoughts. Thanks.
Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I've never done any digital painting myself. But I have seen some great work that was done digitally. I think it is possible to adopt the same approach of blocking in large masses of colour and working towards smaller shapes and details when working digitally. Tho, you may need to find artists with more experience of working digitally to see exactly how?
Superb demo and teaching. Full of information and the honesty of correcting errors makes this an invaluable video. I would have subscribed to the patroon channel to see other full length videos but honestly…..I can’t stand the interruptions of music. I tried muting when it came on and watching out for the subtitles to turn the volume up again but this really became a nuisance. Please Alex don’t incorporate music into the videos…it’s like the awful stuff delivered to you whilst waiting on the telephone. You don’t need this. The silence is fine. Your commentary is exceptional and just watching you work is the mesmerising factor.
If you study the original painting, you can see the structure of the canvas coming through in certain parts of the face, and being more opaquely covered in other parts. In this attempt at a copy the thickness of the paint is virtually equal all over. This is not how Velazquez painted.
This is a great video for anyone interested in portrait painting. Normally you would expect to pay a lot for instruction of this depth and quality. Just great ..Thanks Alex Tzavaras.
True comment, as evidenced by my collection of bought and paid for instruction videos!
Great tutorial. You're a very generous teacher. I love these long videos where hardly anything is left out and watched all three.
Thank you Gry. Glad it was helpful.
I second many of the positive sentiments and agree that there is nothing out there that compares in quality and lack of bs. Immensly useful and thoughtful. Thank you Alex!
Thank you very much Maria! I'm glad you think so.
I appreciate so much your hard work to show this process to us! It's incredibly useful and I can imagine how challenging it was for you.
Please don't apologize! I am enjoying every minute of this tutorial. Many thanks for taking the time to do these videos! I appreciate it so very much.
Thank you!
It's really interesting how artists can spot the confidence in other artists' work, and the techniques they used. Regular viewers can see the painting as appealing, but painters can really delve deep into why it's appealing, and admire the author on a whole new level.
I think that's the same for any craft. I might watch a film and really enjoy it, but not really be aware of how well it's crafted, acting, cinematography etc. unless I'd studied film.
Velazquez is often called "The painter's painter".
Superb. I often stop watching any video that doesn't keep the reference in view. Your visuals and excellent discussion of innumerable key points makes this outstanding instruction. I hope to get my schedule enhanced to allow me to do some patreon videos and actually find time to paint! Thank you.
Thank you very much Dave! Glad yoy liked this
Having watched the entire video I can say that this is the study of this painting that is most true to Velasquez. It also happens to be one of the nicest portraits of your’s that I’ve seen
Ironically I’d add that for myself when I do a particularly good job on a study I’m kind of disappointed because it’s not an original work. Weird because as an artist you still all the work but perhaps because the composition wasn’t yours. What is everyone else’s thoughts?
I always feel that way whenever I do a master copy. They always seem to come out better than one's normal work. But then you're borrowing from a greater artists. We hope, that some it rubs off on us.
SIMPLIFY Drawing & Painting yes. I imagine that if a musician plays their own composition they feel a similar special satisfaction as when a visual artist completes a unique work. Of course musicians play classical works without any shame, likewise realist painters should feel no compunction against doing master studies. Master studies are incredible opportunities to learn and improve on your own.
Wonderfully helpful, thank you so much! You’re not the only one unable to talk while painting.
I continue to feel so grateful as I watch the third video. The depth and personal quality of the instruction here is second to none. I have been painting for decades, and this is the most comprehensive teaching on portrait painting I have ever found. Thank you so much Alex.
Thank you very much!
What a phenomenal 3 part series.
Well we’ll done .
Thank you very much Mikey! When I did this, people had been asking me to do a real time demo for TH-cam for sometime. But it hasn't had as many views as some of my other videos.
It is impossible for the lower middle class in some Asian countries to buy such a good lesson with the equivalent of foreign money. So many many thanks Master for helping with these free lessons.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You are a great artist!!!!!!Thank you so much!!!!!!
Thank you Eleftheria!
great work alex i love your paintings hope to see more
Great Video on method
Thank you Tom!
Boldly painted Alex, nicely done. Informative and enjoyable series
Outstanding real time tuition videos, thank you.
Wow. All three parts were great. And what a result! I am also a big fan of this painting now. Thank you!
Thank you Nate! Glad you enjoyed them.
I just found your videos and I have been binging them! I am a digital painter and so much of this I relate back to my work. Thank you so much for these tutorials and demos!
Thank you very much Sarah. Glad you find my videos helpful. Good luck with your work.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this series.
Thank you! Glad you found this helpful.
This was a wonderful experience. I learned so much. Thank you!
I'm glad you founf this helpful!
Alex… thank you ever so much. I enjoyed every second!
Thank you Helen! Glad you enjoyed it.
That's a tour de force!! Amazing master Tzavaras! 🙏
Thank you very much Pablo!
Mesmerizing!!
Thanks Caspar!
Ty for choosing this portrait subject.
Great painting,! Tempted to have a go, but much rather drink a beer and watch you work!
Thank you Harvey! Enjoy
One of the Best video in youtube. Thank you a lot
Thank you very much!
I’m a sculpture and i never draw or paint, but i enjoy watching you painting so much its so relaxing 👍🏻 i will definitely recommend you channel to all my Facebook friends 👍🏻
Thank you Keyvan!
Wow , great job , you flattered the hell out of him. You took a chubby cheek round face guy and made him into someone right out of Saturday night fever hahahaha. You took a afro and scraggly mustache and beard fixed him up with a great hair stylist. You hooked him up and brought this moorish slave into the 2000s with style. 👍 I love it.
Beautiful
Thank you!
🇿🇦Thank you so much for putting this demo together. Very insightful and relaxing at the same time
Thank you Sabelo!
Alex-this was a very instructive and expertly executed demonstration of copying an old master. I learned a lot from watching it. Congratulations!
Thanks Keith! Glad you liked it.
it's really the master !!!
Hi..Really enjoy your tutorials..!I am following them only a few days and I must say I am enjoying your videos a lot..your explanation is very easy to follow ..thank you for teaching us..greetings from Croatia..looking forward to other tutorials..👋😃👍🏻
Thank you Ingrid! Glad you like them.
This was an awesome demo, thanks! Lots learned.
That was amazing. Thanks.
a million thanks for sharing, very helpful and informative!
Thank you so much for this!
Thank you Seth! Glad it was helpful.
Superb.
many thanks
Thank you so much
Fantastic
thanks for sharing!!! lovely
My favorite tip: using the tip of the brush handle to first lay in the location of highlights, and to make drawing corrections. I can not tell you how many times I've tried to do this with frustration directly with the brush.
I enjoyed watching your video till the end~Your video affects me big and small~I am very interested in painting portraits with oil paintings.
Thank you very much!
This is a great painting and tutorial. Thank you for producing this. Something though, I'm not absolutely sure about it but if you zoom in very closely on the original painting by Velazquez it appears that he began this portrait with a complete outline drawing of the man's likeness before he began painting in full tonal values and colors.
I'm not entirely sure exactly how Velázquez started his painting. I think he would have done an underdrawing and built up the colour using layers of different glazes.
Thank you!
“If we stare into the shadows....”
I thought you were going to interject some kind of existential lament! 😂
Awesome
This video and your voice ❤️
Thank you.
Thank you, you have a gift for teaching, and you work is stunning! Are you painting from the reference we see? If so, are you changing the value and temperature seen on the reference for a reason? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Thanks you very much. The reference I used for the this is downloaded from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website. There is a link in the description. My flesh colours do appear a lot lighter in the video than in the reference. I probably did make them a little too light but the exposure setting on the camera also make them appear lighter. One of the difficulties of filming paintings. They also appear slightly different than the colours on the palette which look warmer.
❤
I’ve heard that Velasquez may have used this portrait as a sort of warm up for his portrait of Pope Innocent X. Interesting if true
Yes. He did paint this as practice, because he knew he wouldn't have much time with the pope. Though he did also display this painting in Rome it received great acclaim. Someone wrote that he apparently had Juan stand next to the painting and people couldn't tell them apart. I love Pope Innocent too, they are two of my all time favourite paintings.
Alex, did you paint this ala prima? Or did you paint in in layers?
This is an Alla Prima study, which I painted in a single sitting. I did use some glazes in the black hair and beard, even though the paint underneath was still wet
SIMPLIFY Drawing & Painting thanks. You kept the planes and edges under control and nicely separated . I find for myself that ala prima portraits can get a bit sloppy . I usually can only take a block in so far before I should let the layer dry and come back. Fully ala prima means worrying about shape, proportions, values, hue, chroma and edges all in one go. It is very challenging. You pulled off a wonderful study. Congratulations
Alex, your demos and skill are nonpareil. Do you consider or can you replicate drawing this way in either charcoal or oil painting styles with digital tools such as Photoshop or Fresco? Your thoughts. Thanks.
Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I've never done any digital painting myself. But I have seen some great work that was done digitally. I think it is possible to adopt the same approach of blocking in large masses of colour and working towards smaller shapes and details when working digitally. Tho, you may need to find artists with more experience of working digitally to see exactly how?
Superb demo and teaching. Full of information and the honesty of correcting errors makes this an invaluable video.
I would have subscribed to the patroon channel to see other full length videos but honestly…..I can’t stand the interruptions of music. I tried muting when it came on and watching out for the subtitles to turn the volume up again but this really became a nuisance.
Please Alex don’t incorporate music into the videos…it’s like the awful stuff delivered to you whilst waiting on the telephone.
You don’t need this. The silence is fine. Your commentary is exceptional and just watching you work is the mesmerising factor.
You won't like my Patreon channel then, as there is music in all the gaps. Sorry...
Vaya una castaña
If you study the original painting, you can see the structure of the canvas coming through in certain parts of the face, and being more opaquely covered in other parts. In this attempt at a copy the thickness of the paint is virtually equal all over. This is not how Velazquez painted.
I think I say that in the video. You can still learn a lot from doing master copies, without necessarily trying to use the Artists' same technique.
Great, but I advise everyone to watch it at 1.25 playback speed, you'll thank me for that. ;)))
Here...
after watching 4 hours of you painting, I only have one question:
What are you doing here?
İ think this piece is selfportrait of painter himself. Skin color must be more hyspanic . He is Spanish.
Juan de Pareja was of African descent.