plate no. 7017

Head of St. John the Baptist

oilHigh Renaissancereligious paintingheadreligious figuretableplatedark backgroundhair

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering realistic skin tones and hair, and understanding light and shadow to create form. It also provides practice in painting reflective surfaces and creating a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions and placement of the head, plate, and table.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, even tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color on the face, hair, plate, and table, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Begin to refine the facial features, adding highlights and shadows to create form and volume.
step 05
Work on the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture and detail.
step 06
Paint the plate, paying attention to the reflections and highlights on the metal surface.
step 07
Add details to the table, including any subtle variations in color and texture.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding final details to create a sense of realism.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna or alizarin crimson. Use ivory black mixed with raw umber for the dark background and shadows. Mix cadmium yellow light with white for the gold highlights.

techniques