plate no. 7738

Ecce Homo

oil, woodMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfigureportraitreligiousdraperybeardcrown of thorns

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a dark underpainting.
step 02
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's proportions and pose.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: skin tones, red drapery, and background.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the drapery, creating folds and highlights to give it volume.
step 06
Add details to the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as the beard and hair.
step 07
Paint the crown of thorns and the halo, adding subtle details to enhance realism.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final details.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white, adjusting the proportions to create highlights and shadows. Mix cadmium red and alizarin crimson for the drapery, adding white for highlights and umber for shadows.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·drapery rendering

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figure.
→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Failing to create sufficient contrast between light and shadow.
→Inaccurate rendering of the drapery folds.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas
·Oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium red, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Rags