plate no. 8717
Landscape with St. Jerome
Maerten van Heemskerck, 1547
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting complex architectural forms, atmospheric perspective, and rendering the human figure in various poses and lighting conditions.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
1
study guide
est. 30 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition, focusing on the placement of major elements like the ruins, figures, and cityscape.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and distant landscape, then moving to the foreground elements.
- step 03
Establish the basic values (lights and darks) to create depth and dimension.
- step 04
Refine the architectural details of the ruins, paying attention to perspective and texture.
- step 05
Carefully render the figures, focusing on anatomy, drapery, and facial expressions.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume and form.
- step 07
Develop the details in the foreground, such as the foliage, rocks, and other elements.
- step 08
Add final glazes to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.
color palette
primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow
Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth tones with white and small amounts of blue or yellow. Use glazes of burnt sienna to add warmth to the ruins.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·glazing
- ·figure drawing
- ·architectural rendering
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details too early
- →Inaccurate perspective
- →Overly saturated colors
- →Poor figure drawing
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium gloss
Use a fine-grained canvas for smoother blending and detail work. Consider using a toned ground to establish a base color.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
related artworks
Apollo and the Muses (Parnassus)
Lavinia Fontana
Portrait Of Don Rodrigo Vasquez
El Greco
Madonna Bolognini
Correggio
The Unhappy Lot of the Rich
Maerten van Heemskerck
Head of a Woman
Orazio Gentileschi
The Deposition
Giorgio Vasari
Portrait of a Man Holding a Letter
Francesco de' Rossi (Francesco Salviati), "Cecchino"
Portrait of the Physician Carlo Fontana
Bartolomeo Passerotti