plate no. 5477

maddalena

oilBaroquereligious paintingfigureskulldraperyhairbookreligious

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering skin tones and hair, as well as understanding chiaroscuro and creating a sense of depth through value changes. Students will also learn to depict fabric folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, skull, and drapery.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, skull, and drapery with their local colors.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the hair, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and movement.
step 06
Refine the details of the skull and book, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 07
Work on the drapery, using darker values in the folds and lighter values on the highlights.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a cohesive and realistic image.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · alizarin crimson

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Darker values are created by adding raw umber and ivory black. The blue drapery is created by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of black for shadows.

techniques