Oils Painting A Facial Scar

[chris1]

Hi Guys,
A quick question.
I'm painting an old Verlinden Bust of an SS officer who has a scar running down one side of his face.
But not quite sure about how to paint it.
I'd like it to look relatively fresh but healed.
Can you please help.

My basic flesh pallete is generally a mix of Yellow Ochre,Burnt Sienna and Raw Umber.
Other colours as required.

 

[kagemusha]

Hi Chris, as a basic guide for scars, newer ones are redder as the tissue is thinner and the blood in the tissue shows through. As the tissue gets older and thicker, the scar fades to a colour lighter than the surrounding tissue as it cannot absorb the melanin which gives the normal skin its colour. A touch of alizarin crimson for newer scars or, for older ones, a little white is a basic guideline for European skin tones. Hope this helps.

Cheers

Ron

 

[Einion]

How is the scar sculpted Chris - a raised ridge (keloid scarring) or a thin depression? If it's just the second, then really all you have to do is faintly shadow and highlight it and you're good to go.

Keloid scars can be a lot or a little pinker than the surrounding skin but importantly they're usually slightly shinier too, so if you're going with a varied finish across the bust then this is one of the things to match.

Einion

 

[Einion]

My basic flesh pallete is generally a mix of Yellow Ochre,Burnt Sienna and Raw Umber.

This would tend to be very yellow Chris. With few exceptions human skin is varied shades of orange or scarlet so the base should essentially be an orange or red-orange, lightened with white for caucasians obviously.

I'd ditch both the Burnt Sienna and the Raw Umber as usual ingredients in flesh mixes. Usually umbers are reserved for use in shadow mixtures only and it's more commonly Burnt Umber (which is normally a dark orange) not Raw Umber (typically a dark yellow).

If you had an opaque red earth like Light Red, Red Oxide or English Red that might work well as a pairing for the Yellow Ochre, if not then you can just use a Cadmium Red, you'll only need tiny amounts.

Einion

 

[chris1]

Hi Guys
Thanks for your replies.
Einion, Thanks for your input re my flesh pallette,I'll give it a go.

Chris