plate no. 6551
Christ Blessing
Antonello da Messina, 1465
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle value gradations to create form. Students will also practice rendering realistic skin tones and drapery folds.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a warm brown underpainting.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, table, and hands.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: the background, face, hair, clothing, and table.
- step 04
Start refining the facial features, paying close attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.
- step 05
Develop the folds and shadows in the clothing, using thin layers of paint.
- step 06
Add details to the hands, focusing on the knuckles, wrinkles, and fingernails.
- step 07
Paint the table and the note, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to the entire painting.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white · cadmium red
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of red. Achieve the red of the robe by layering burnt sienna and cadmium red. Use ultramarine blue mixed with burnt sienna to create the darker tones in the background and clothing.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Incorrect proportions of the face and hands.
- →Overly harsh or muddy skin tones.
- →Flat or lifeless rendering of the clothing.
- →Ignoring subtle value changes.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas
- ·Oil paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
- ·Round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 6)
- ·Palette
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Allow each layer of paint to dry before applying the next.
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