2.VIBRANCY

One of the main issues when painting any skin tone is the lack of strong colour. White is generally over-used to create pastel tints that can look chalky and dull. For darker skin tones, some may overuse Burnt Umber. Beginners may even be tempted to plump for a tube of Flesh Tint, which in no way is representative of the multitude of real-life skin pigments.

Skin tones tend to look consistent from distance and colour may come from an accessory someone is wearing or a shot of colour in the background. On closer inspection, skin has a variety of subtle hues. These colours can be affected by illness, bruising, light, temperature, or reflected colour and can vary with age. Initially it’s important to simply be