plate no. 9431

David with the Head of Goliath

oil, canvasBaroquereligious paintingfigureportraitheadswordclothingmale

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering skin tones, as well as understanding light and shadow to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the proportions of the figures and the placement of the sword.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with simplified color masses, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Begin to refine the skin tones, layering thin glazes of color to create depth and luminosity.
step 05
Add details to the clothing and accessories, such as the hat and the sword hilt.
step 06
Pay close attention to the light source and how it affects the forms, adding highlights and shadows accordingly.
step 07
Refine the facial features, capturing the likeness and expression of the figures.
step 08
Add final details and adjustments to create a cohesive and polished painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, and small amounts of cadmium red and yellow ochre. Create shadows by adding ultramarine blue to the skin tone mixture.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions wrong, especially in the faces.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the luminosity.
→Ignoring the light source and creating flat, unconvincing forms.
→Failing to capture the likeness and expression of the figures.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife