plate no. 2127
Crowned Female Figure
Pietro Lorenzetti, 1340
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand limited color palettes and subtle value shifts to create form. It also offers practice in depicting aged textures and surfaces.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: the figure, the crown, and the surrounding architectural element.
- step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of grey and brown tones.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of the figure with light washes of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 04
Begin building up the form with subtle layers of color, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 05
Add details to the face, crown, and veil, using small brushes and delicate strokes.
- step 06
Create the aged texture by stippling and dry brushing various shades of brown and grey.
- step 07
Refine the edges and contours of the figure and the architectural element.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and realism.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black
Mix raw umber and white for the base tones. Add yellow ochre for warmth and burnt sienna for shadows. Use ivory black sparingly to darken the greys.
techniques
- ·underpainting
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·stippling
- ·limited palette
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Using too much color saturation, which will detract from the aged look.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure before adding details.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle shifts in color and value.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·round brushes (small and medium)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium
Use a canvas with a slightly rough texture to help create the aged effect. Consider using a toned canvas to start with a mid-value ground.
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