plate no. 1725
Archangel Michael
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including rendering realistic skin tones and facial features, as well as painting metallic textures and creating a sense of depth through layering and shading.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure, paying attention to proportions and pose.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: skin, hair, armor, background, and halo.
- step 03
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, focusing on highlights and shadows.
- step 04
Develop the details of the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 05
Paint the armor, using a combination of dark and light tones to create a metallic effect.
- step 06
Add details to the halo, using gold and yellow tones to create a glowing effect.
- step 07
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red · ultramarine blue
secondary · titanium white · ivory black · gold
Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, cadmium red, burnt umber, and titanium white. Create metallic effects by mixing ivory black with touches of ultramarine blue and titanium white. Achieve the gold halo by layering yellow ochre and gold paint.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·glazing
- ·layering
- ·color mixing
- ·rendering metal
common pitfalls
- →Overblending skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Failing to create a convincing metallic effect on the armor.
- →Ignoring subtle variations in color and texture.
- →Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·retarder medium
- ·varnish
- ·easel
Use high-quality paints for best results. Consider using a medium to slow down the drying time of the paints.
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