plate no. 7487

Life of St Benedict, Scene 11. Benedict Founds Twelve Monasteries

frescoHigh Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresarchitecturelandscapecolumnsmonksbuilding

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures with drapery, creating atmospheric perspective, and understanding architectural perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main figures, architectural elements, and landscape.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the sky, landscape, and architecture using thin washes.
step 03
Begin layering in details for the figures, focusing on light and shadow to create form.
step 04
Develop the architectural details, paying attention to perspective and the fall of light on the columns and arches.
step 05
Add details to the background landscape, using lighter tones and less detail to create depth.
step 06
Refine the figures' drapery, adding folds and highlights to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Add final details to the faces and hands of the figures.
step 08
Glaze with thin washes to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · viridian green

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth pigments with white and small amounts of blue or green. Use thin washes of burnt sienna to create warm shadows.

techniques