plate no. 2201
Christ
Konstantinos Parthenis, 1900
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in blending subtle color transitions and creating a sense of ethereal light. It also provides practice in portraiture and conveying emotion through facial expression.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic circular composition and the placement of the figure's head and shoulders.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background and the shadowed portions of the face.
- step 03
Begin layering in the lighter blues and whites, focusing on the areas around the face and the crown of thorns.
- step 04
Carefully blend the transitions between light and dark, creating a soft, diffused effect.
- step 05
Add details to the face, paying attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Refine the crown of thorns, adding subtle highlights and shadows.
- step 07
Adjust the overall values and color balance to achieve the desired mood.
- step 08
Add final highlights to the eyes and other key areas.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · raw umber · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson
Achieve the subtle blues by mixing ultramarine with white and small amounts of black. Use raw umber and a touch of alizarin crimson for the skin tones in shadow. Yellow ochre can be used for the highlights on the crown.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Over-blending, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
- →Getting the proportions of the face incorrect.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will aid in blending.
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