plate no. 6761

Head of St. Matthew

oilNeoclassicismreligious paintingfigureportraitreligiousbeardhairhalo

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of facial features. It also offers practice in creating subtle gradations of color and value to model form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the head and shoulders.
step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with a thin wash of burnt umber.
step 03
Block in the background with a dark, muted tone.
step 04
Begin layering in the skin tones, starting with the mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the hair and beard, paying attention to the direction of the curls and individual strands.
step 06
Add the red drapery, focusing on the folds and highlights.
step 07
Refine the facial features, adding details to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 08
Add the halo with a light yellow or gold tone.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix skin tones by blending white, sienna, and a touch of red. Use umber and black to create shadows. Muted red can be achieved by mixing cadmium red with a touch of burnt umber.

techniques