plate no. 3338
Apostle Paul
Jan Lievens, 1629
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in chiaroscuro and portrait painting, focusing on capturing the texture of the beard and the aged skin.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, book, and light source.
- step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of burnt umber and black.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure and book with mid-tones.
- step 04
Begin building up the highlights on the face, beard, and book using lighter shades of ochre and white.
- step 05
Develop the shadows and details in the face, paying attention to the wrinkles and bone structure.
- step 06
Add texture to the beard using dry brush techniques and varying shades of brown and grey.
- step 07
Refine the details of the book, including the text and the edges of the pages.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw umber · ivory black · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · cadmium red light
Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, ochre, a touch of red, and umber. Use umber and black for shadows, adding white for highlights.
techniques
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·dry brushing
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overblending, which can flatten the image.
- →Ignoring the subtle shifts in value.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Not capturing the texture of the beard.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brush (size 8)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a canvas with a smooth texture to facilitate blending. Consider using a toned ground (e.g., burnt umber wash) to establish the dark background.
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