plate no. 1176
Exaltação da Santa Cruz
Cristovao de Figueiredo, 1530
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering complex figures, drapery, and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted and historical tones.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 25 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and placement of figures.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors using thin washes of paint.
- step 03
Develop the background elements, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
- step 04
Start building up the details of the figures, beginning with the central figures.
- step 05
Focus on rendering the drapery and textures of the clothing.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create form and depth.
- step 07
Refine the details of the faces and hands.
- step 08
Add final details and glazes to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white
secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth tones with small amounts of primary colors. Use glazes of transparent colors to create depth and richness.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·underpainting
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details too early.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Ignoring the importance of atmospheric perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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