plate no. 9814

Four Evangelists: Saint John

oilMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfiguresaintbeardclothreligious

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and drapery folds. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and form through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and drapery on a circular canvas.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main areas of the skin with a mid-tone base color.
step 04
Begin layering lighter and darker tones to define the form of the face, body, and hands.
step 05
Add details to the beard, paying attention to the individual strands and curls.
step 06
Paint the drapery, focusing on the highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Refine the edges and details, ensuring smooth transitions between tones.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall realism.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

secondary · ivory black · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna or cadmium red light. Use raw umber and ivory black for shadows and darker areas.

techniques