plate no. 5688

Meditation of St. Francis

oil, canvasBaroquereligious paintingfiguremonkskullbookroberock

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand chiaroscuro and how to create form using light and shadow. It will also teach them how to render drapery and textures with a limited palette.

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, book, and rock.
step 02
Establish the dark background with a thin wash of dark brown and black.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the monk's robe with a mid-tone brown.
step 04
Begin adding highlights to the robe, skull, book, and rock, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
step 05
Develop the shadows, using darker browns and blacks to create depth and volume.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, hands, and skull.
step 07
Add subtle textures to the robe and rock using dry brush techniques.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and enhance the shadows.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt umber · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Mix various shades of brown by combining raw umber, burnt umber, and ivory black. Use titanium white to create highlights and yellow ochre to add warmth to the robe.

techniques