plate no. 8881
Herodias with the Head of John the Baptist
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, drapery, and creating dramatic lighting effects. It also provides practice in rendering realistic skin tones and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main figures and composition.
- step 02
Block in the background with dark, muted tones.
- step 03
Establish the main light source and begin layering in highlights and shadows on the faces and hands.
- step 04
Develop the drapery, paying attention to folds and highlights.
- step 05
Paint the metallic plate, focusing on reflected light.
- step 06
Refine the details of the faces, including eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the dramatic effect.
- step 08
Glaze areas to unify the color palette.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · burnt sienna
Mix various shades of skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Achieve the blue drapery by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of black. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the golden plate.
techniques
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·glazing
- ·portraiture
- ·drapery
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Overblending skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.
- →Failing to capture the emotional expression of the figures.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Not creating enough contrast between light and dark areas.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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