plate no. 5190

Miracle of Roses

oilSurrealismreligious paintingportraitangelsarchwaydogreligious figuresroses

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, blending skin tones, and creating subtle value shifts to define form. It also provides practice in layering and glazing to achieve a luminous effect.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the overall composition, focusing on the large shapes and proportions of the face and archway.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the background and then the skin tones.
step 03
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying close attention to the subtle value changes that define the form.
step 04
Add the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, using small brushes and precise strokes.
step 05
Paint the archway, focusing on the texture and color variations of the bricks.
step 06
Add the angels, paying attention to the drapery and the way the light falls on their forms.
step 07
Incorporate the hidden figures within the face, using thin glazes of color to create a subtle effect.
step 08
Add final details, such as the roses and the dog, and adjust the overall values and colors as needed.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Achieve the skin tones by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and titanium white in varying proportions. Use yellow ochre and cadmium red light to add warmth to the skin tones. Mix ivory black with raw umber to create the dark tones for the hair and shadows.

techniques