plate no. 8200

Maria with the sleeping child

temperaNorthern Renaissancereligious paintingfigurereligiousportraitbabymotherdrapery

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and subtle gradations of light and shadow. It also provides practice in depicting drapery and complex textures like hair.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the figures of Mary and the child, the drapery, and the background.
step 02
Block in the background with a flat, even layer of red tempera.
step 03
Begin layering the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows. Pay close attention to the subtle shifts in color.
step 04
Paint the drapery, focusing on the folds and how they catch the light. Use darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
step 05
Work on the hair, using small brushstrokes to create the texture and volume. Mix different shades of brown and black to add depth.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces, including the eyes, nose, and mouth. Pay attention to the proportions and expressions.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the figures.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and create a sense of depth.

color palette

primary · red · ivory black · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Shadows are created by adding burnt umber or ultramarine blue to the skin tone mixture. The drapery is a mix of black, blue, and purple.

techniques