plate no. 8574

Apostle St. Andrew

oil, canvasMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfigurereligiousportraitcrossrobebeard

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering facial features and drapery with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form using subtle color variations and value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, cross, and drapery.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of dark reddish-brown.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, cross, and robe with simplified color masses.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, paying attention to the light and shadow on the face and beard.
step 05
Develop the drapery, using broken brushstrokes to suggest folds and texture.
step 06
Add highlights to the robe and cross to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and the texture of the beard.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and expressive painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · Prussian blue · yellow ochre · cadmium green

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white. Use Prussian blue and yellow ochre to create the muted greens and blues of the robe. Mix burnt umber and a touch of blue for the background.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the loose and expressive quality of the original.
→Creating overly smooth transitions, failing to capture the texture of the brushstrokes.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones and drapery.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, Prussian blue, yellow ochre, cadmium green)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·palette knife
·rags