plate no. 1726

Jacob with the Flock of Laban

oil, canvasTenebrismreligious paintingfiguresheeplandscapereligiousflockanimal

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in chiaroscuro and rendering realistic textures, particularly the wool of the sheep. It also provides practice in depicting the human figure in a dramatic, emotional pose.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and sheep.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of dark brown.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure and sheep with mid-tone colors.
step 04
Begin building up the highlights and shadows on the figure, paying attention to the dramatic lighting.
step 05
Add details to the face and hands, focusing on capturing the expression.
step 06
Render the texture of the sheep's wool using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the background and add any remaining details.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the depth.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve the skin tones by mixing cadmium red, yellow ochre, and white, with small amounts of burnt umber for shadows. The sheep's wool is created by mixing white with small amounts of raw umber and burnt umber.

techniques