plate no. 7052

Ecce Homo

oilHigh Renaissancereligious paintingfigurereligiousportraitcrown of thornsbloodtears

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and subtle gradations of light and shadow. It also provides practice in capturing emotion through facial expression.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the face and body.
step 02
Block in the background with a dark, muted color.
step 03
Establish the main light and shadow areas on the face and body using thin washes of color.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of subtle color variations.
step 05
Define the features of the face, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Paint the hair and beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Add the crown of thorns and blood droplets, using a fine brush.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of burnt sienna, raw umber, and yellow ochre. Use alizarin crimson to add warmth to the cheeks and lips. Darken shadows with a mix of raw umber and alizarin crimson.

techniques