Heads of Sts Thomas and James the Greater

Light falls from the upper left, modeling both heads with a gentle, almost frontal illumination that emphasizes the subtle planes of the faces. The bearded figure on the left sits slightly forward and turned, while the younger, beardless figure on the right faces more directly toward us—their profiles create a natural compositional rhythm that draws the eye left-to-right. The background is a warm, mottled tan that recedes, allowing the heads to read as the dominant sculptural masses. Notice how the drapery at chest level anchors both figures and provides soft, flowing counterpoint to the geometric clarity of the facial structure.

The darkest darks cluster in the shadowed temple areas, eye sockets, and beard contours of the left figure, with the deepest charcoal concentration along the right cheek and jaw of the bearded man. The lightest lights sit on the foreheads, the bridge of the younger man's nose, and the illuminated left cheek of the figure on the right. The middle tones—warm browns and ochres—dominate the painting and bind the composition; squint and you'll see three clear value zones: deep shadow (beard, eyes), mid-tone flesh (most of both faces), and bright highlights (forehead planes).

• #e5caaa

  Lead white + raw sienna + touch of ochre

  Brightest forehead and cheekbone highlights on both heads

• #d5b28f

  Raw sienna + ochre + white

  Primary mid-tone flesh throughout face and neck areas

• #c19c7b

  Raw sienna + burnt sienna + ochre

  Shadow transitions on cheeks and jaw, warmth under the chin

• #aa7e5e

  Burnt sienna + raw umber + touch of charcoal

  Mid-shadow planes in beard and beneath the chin

• #8d6b56

  Raw umber + burnt umber + charcoal

  Deep shadow in beard, eye sockets, temple creases

• #543c36

  Charcoal black + burnt umber

  Darkest accents: pupil definition, beard shadows, contour lines

Edges here are deliberately soft and dissolved—almost no sharp lines except where charcoal defines eye pupils and beard contours. The blending is seamless; you see no hatching or visible strokes on the primary face planes. Instead, tones melt into one another using tortillon work and finger blending, creating the illusion of rounded form. The drapery is rendered with looser, more linear work—lighter touch, visible directional strokes—which contrasts with the carefully modeled flesh and keeps the eye anchored to the faces.

1. 01

   Establish the toned ground and basic structure

   Prepare a toned paper (cream or light tan) and lightly block in the two head profiles with medium charcoal pencil. Map the proportions carefully: the bearded figure's three-quarter turn versus the younger man's straighter profile. Indicate the major axis of each skull, the eye line, and the bottom of the chin. Keep lines light and gestural—this is scaffolding, not final drawing.

2. 02

   Define shadow shapes with mid-tone charcoal

   Using medium charcoal, lay in the shadow planes: the right cheek of the left figure, the temple area above both eyes, and the throat shadows beneath both chins. Work around the light areas (forehead, bridge of nose, the frontal cheekbone plane). Use broad, directional strokes following the form, not the edge. Leave the lightest zones untouched paper or lightly touched.

3. 03

   Build the beard structure and facial hair

   Darken the beard region of the left figure with soft charcoal, following the direction of hair growth downward and into the shadow. Notice how the beard creates a solid mass that tapers at the lower jaw. Use layered, directional strokes rather than filling flatly. The younger figure on the right has no beard but does have soft shadow along the jawline—keep this much more delicate.

4. 04

   Model the eye sockets and define facial anatomy

   Use dark charcoal to carve out the eye sockets with precision—they are the anchors of likeness. The left figure's eyes sit deeper; the right figure's are more direct. Add the subtle nasolabial fold on both faces, the temple creases visible on the bearded man, and the cheekbone prominence. These anatomical landmarks should read as gentle suggestions, not harsh lines.

5. 05

   Begin blending and mid-tone unification

   Using a tortillon or blending stump, gently merge the medium tones into the lighter areas of the cheeks and foreheads. Work in circular, light motions following the curve of the skull. The goal is to eliminate obvious charcoal texture and create smooth gradations. Don't blend the darkest shadows yet—keep them slightly distinct to maintain dimension.

6. 06

   Deepen shadows and refine transitions

   Layer soft charcoal into the deepest shadow areas: the eye sockets, the shadowed side of the left figure's face, and the beard. Blend these carefully but leave a hint of texture in the beard to suggest form and density. Add a warm, subtle shadow under the chin of both heads using burnt sienna chalk or a warm charcoal tone. The transition from light to shadow should feel inevitable, not constructed.

7. 07

   Render the drapery with linear directional work

   Switch to a harder charcoal pencil (H or HB) and draw the folds of fabric at chest level with deliberate, flowing strokes. These lines should feel lighter and more linear than the face work—they anchor the composition but do not compete. Indicate the jeweled clasp or brooch with a small circular line; it should read as secondary detail.

8. 08

   Establish the background and final refinements

   Add soft charcoal or sepia chalk to the background, keeping it warm and slightly mottled to suggest plaster or aged paper. Leave it lighter than the deepest shadow on the faces so the heads advance. Add any final accent lines with dark charcoal: the contour of the left figure's ear and profile edge, subtle eyebrow indication, and the pupils. Step back frequently. Apply fixative spray once satisfied.

• Over-blending the entire surface into uniformity—Leonardo's work retains subtle texture and directional mark-making even in the face. Keep some micro-variation in tone to avoid a wax-like, featureless appearance.
• Making the beard too flat or simplified. The beard has internal structure: it curves around the jaw, has shadow beneath it, and tapers. Observe how the charcoal follows those forms rather than creating a single dark mass.
• Ignoring the subtle anatomical differences between the two heads. The bearded man has deeper eye sockets, more prominent temples, and a heavier brow. The younger figure has a rounder, more open face. These differences must inform your modeling.
• Letting the background advance too much in value. It must remain subordinate to the heads. If your background reads as equally important tonally, the composition collapses.
• Hardening edges where Leonardo softens them. The cheekbones, jaw transitions, and nose should feel like rounded volumes emerging from shadow, not outlined forms. Resist the urge to draw edges; instead, sculpt with tone.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility