plate no. 8359

Head of St. Andrew

chalk, paperHigh Renaissancereligious paintingfigureportraitreligious figurebeardprofile

some experience helpful

Recreating this drawing will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing subtle tonal variations and creating a sense of depth through shading. Students will also learn to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, neck, and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the overall tonal range by applying a mid-tone wash to the entire drawing surface.
step 03
Begin to define the darker areas of the face and background, gradually building up the shadows.
step 04
Use a kneaded eraser to lift out highlights and refine the shapes of the facial features.
step 05
Focus on capturing the subtle gradations of tone on the face to create a sense of volume.
step 06
Add details to the beard, paying attention to the direction of the hair growth.
step 07
Refine the edges of the figure and background to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall tonal balance.

color palette

primary · raw umber · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of raw umber, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. Use ivory black to darken the shadows and create a sense of depth.

techniques