plate no. 7609
Madonna and Child with Six Saints
Sandro Botticelli, 1470
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, drapery rendering, and creating a balanced composition with multiple subjects. It also provides practice in achieving smooth gradations and subtle color variations in skin tones and fabrics.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 30 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a rough sketch of the overall composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figures.
- step 02
Refine the sketch, adding details to the faces, hands, and drapery.
- step 03
Block in the main color areas with thin washes of tempera paint.
- step 04
Begin building up the layers of color, working from dark to light.
- step 05
Pay close attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones and fabrics.
- step 06
Add details to the faces, hands, and drapery, using fine brushes.
- step 07
Refine the background and architectural elements.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · vermilion · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · raw umber · ivory black · cadmium red light
Mix various shades of blue by combining ultramarine with white and a touch of black. Achieve skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, and a small amount of red. Create depth in the drapery by layering different shades of the primary colors.
techniques
- ·underpainting
- ·layering
- ·glazing
- ·hatching
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of harmony.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and dimension.
materials
surface · gessoed panel
required
- ·gessoed panel
- ·egg tempera paints
- ·fine brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·water
- ·soft cloths
- ·tracing paper
- ·pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium (egg yolk and water)
Egg tempera dries quickly, so work in small sections and keep your brushes clean. Use distilled water for mixing your paints.
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