COMPLEMENT IN BLUE

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Complement in Blue: A Profile Lesson Using Complementary Colours

In this lesson, we start by creating an abstract background full of movement, texture, and a little bit of sparkle. Using acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and touches of glitter in orange and blue, we explore how these complementary colours interact, making the composition lively and interesting. Neutrals help us keep a sense of balance and calm amid all that energy.

Once the background is coming together, we move on to drawing the profile portrait. We focus on proportions, angles, and shapes to build a solid sense of form.

Then we start painting the portrait in thin layers of acrylic, working from transparent to more opaque. Along the way, we observe tonal values to add depth and dimension.

By mixing our complementary colours, we create natural and harmonious skin tones that connect beautifully with the background. Using a limited palette allows the portrait and the background to come together as one cohesive whole.

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What Will You Learn?

  • Create a lively, textured abstract background with acrylics and ink
  • Play with complementary colours to make your painting pop
  • Draw a profile portrait using proportions, angles, and shapes
  • Layer acrylics from transparent to opaque for depth and expression
  • Mix skin tones from limited colours that harmonize with the background
  • Bring portrait and background together as one expressive, cohesive piece
  • Use tonal values, contrast, and highlights to make your portrait come alive

Course Content

Part 1: Complement in Blue
In this first part of the lesson, I’ll introduce myself and briefly explain what we’ll be doing in the painting. I’ll show you the piece we’ll be working on and give a quick overview of how we’ll approach it. Then we move on to the abstract background. Using acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and a touch of glitter, we’ll focus on creating movement, texture, and energy. This expressive layer sets the mood for the painting and forms a lively foundation for the portrait to come.

  • Lesson Part 1: Introduction & Abstract Background
    10:20

Part 2: Complement in Blue
Now we turn our attention to the profile portrait. Using a scaling tool, we’ll take careful measurements to get the proportions right, no guesswork, just observation. We’ll also look closely at the angles and shapes that make up the face, using them as our roadmap to gently build the form. This is where we start bringing structure and life to the portrait, while still keeping it loose and playful, ready for the painting layers to come.

Part 3: Complement in Blue
Now we start painting the portrait in thin layers of acrylic. We’ll use the complementary colours from the background to mix natural, interesting skin tones that connect beautifully with the abstract layer underneath. We’ll work gradually, from transparent washes to more opaque layers, observing tonal values along the way to create depth and form. This step is all about building the face slowly, keeping it expressive while carefully shaping the features.

Part 4: Complement in Blue
In this final part, we bring everything together. We’ll reintroduce parts of the background where needed, making sure the portrait and background form a cohesive, harmonious whole. We’ll focus on contrast, highlights, and tonal balance to give the portrait energy and depth, while keeping it expressive and alive. The goal is a painting where the portrait and the abstract background speak to each other: vibrant, connected, and full of life.