plate no. 4621

Haneton Triptych (left wing)

oilNorthern Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresreligiousportraitsclothingjewelrybackground pattern

experienced study

Recreating this painting would develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering realistic skin tones and facial features. Students will also learn to create depth through subtle value changes and to depict textures like fabric and metal.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the placement and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Establish the background pattern with a light wash of ochre and then add the vertical lines with a darker brown.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with thin washes of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones, using a limited palette of white, red, yellow, and brown.
step 05
Refine the details of the faces, paying close attention to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Paint the clothing, using darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
step 07
Add the details of the jewelry and other accessories.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and add depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · gold

Mix skin tones using white, red, yellow, and a touch of brown. Create the dark clothing with black and umber. Use yellow ochre and a touch of brown for the gold background.

techniques