How to Paint The Planes of the Head

In this portrait painting tutorial, realist painter Alex Tzavaras shows you to paint the planes of the head. In portraiture, the term “plane“ refers to a change in direction on the surface of the head. As the head turns towards or away from a light source, there will be a change in tonal value from light to dark. So whenever we try to creat the 3D appearance of the head when oil painting, being able to identify the different planes of the face and head is very important. It’s also essential for achieving a painterly appearance in your work, by painting each plane with bold separate brushstrokes. Alex Tzavaras is a contemporary realist artist offering portrait painting and alla prima oil painting tutorials. Alex teaches the traditional painting techniques artists used to draw and paint from life up until the start of the 20th century. For Alex’s course on the fundamentals of oil painting visit: Or connect with