plate no. 6723

Ferry Carondelet with his Secretaries

oilHigh Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguresarchitecturelandscapefurtable

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of skin tones, as well as practice creating realistic textures like fur and fabric.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main figures and architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the background landscape and architectural details with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main shapes and values of the figures, focusing on accurate proportions.
step 04
Develop the skin tones using layers of subtle color variations and soft blending.
step 05
Render the fur texture using a combination of dry brushing and stippling techniques.
step 06
Add details to the clothing, including folds, highlights, and shadows.
step 07
Refine the architectural details and add the letters and inkwell on the table.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, cadmium red light, and titanium white; use raw umber and ivory black for dark areas and shadows. Mix ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for the green in the background.

techniques

·portraiture
·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Incorrect proportions of the figures.
→Overly harsh blending of skin tones.
→Lack of depth in the fur texture.
→Inaccurate rendering of the architectural details.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 24x30
·oil paints (ivory black, raw umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cadmium red light)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags