plate no. 0433
Madonna and Child (Salting Madonna)
Antonello da Messina, 1460
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone blending, as well as rendering drapery and textures of fabrics and jewels.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 25 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a dark underpainting.
- step 02
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the crown.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes and colors of the Madonna, Child, and angels.
- step 04
Begin layering skin tones, using thin glazes to build up depth and luminosity.
- step 05
Develop the drapery, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
- step 06
Paint the details of the crown and jewelry, using small brushes.
- step 07
Add the details of the angel's wings and faces.
- step 08
Refine the background and add any final details.
color palette
primary · Titanium White · Yellow Ochre · Burnt Umber · Alizarin Crimson
secondary · Viridian · Cadmium Yellow · Ivory Black
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use burnt umber and ivory black to create the dark background and shadows. Mix viridian with yellow ochre to create the green for the angel's robe.
techniques
- ·Glazing
- ·Scumbling
- ·Dry Brushing
- ·Chiaroscuro
- ·Layering
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
- →Overworking the skin tones and losing the luminosity.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- →Not paying enough attention to the details of the crown and jewelry.
materials
surface · Stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·Oil paints: Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Alizarin Crimson, Viridian, Cadmium Yellow, Ivory Black
- ·Assorted brushes (small round, flat)
- ·Palette
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
- ·Soft cloths
optional
- ·Retouch varnish
- ·Medium gloss
- ·Easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Toning the canvas with a burnt umber wash will create a good base for the painting.
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