plate no. 7157

Claudio Ptolomeus

oil, panelNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguremanglobeclothingcolumn

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including rendering realistic skin tones and depicting fabric folds. It also provides practice in painting intricate details like the armillary sphere and jewelry.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on proportions and placement of the figure and globe.
step 02
Establish the background colors with thin washes, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the face, hands, and clothing.
step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, using subtle glazing techniques to create depth and realism.
step 05
Define the folds and shadows in the clothing, using a combination of blending and sharper brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the details of the armillary sphere, carefully rendering the metal and shadows.
step 07
Add the details of the jewelry and other embellishments, using small brushes and precise strokes.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and add any final touches to enhance the realism and depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, burnt umber, and touches of cadmium red and ultramarine blue. Create the blue of the robe by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of burnt umber to mute the color.

techniques

·Glazing
·Scumbling
·Chiaroscuro
·Dry brushing
·Layering

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting lost in the details too early in the process.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin tones.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, yellow ochre, cadmium red, viridian green, titanium white)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 0-6)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Rags