plate no. 1312
Mother of God, study
Nikolaos Gyzis, 1898
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting light and shadow, and in creating a sense of ethereal atmosphere through soft blending and limited color palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the circle, the figure, the angels, and the cross.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color with thinned paint, focusing on the overall value structure.
- step 03
Start with the darkest areas, gradually building up the lighter tones.
- step 04
Pay attention to the soft edges and blended transitions between colors.
- step 05
Refine the details of the figure and angels, adding subtle highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Create the halo effect with thin washes of yellow and white.
- step 07
Add the drapery details at the bottom.
- step 08
Adjust the overall values and refine the edges to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing ultramarine blue with raw umber and titanium white. Use yellow ochre sparingly for the halo and highlights.
techniques
- ·underpainting
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·soft blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Using too much color and creating a harsh, unrealistic palette.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Making the edges too sharp and defined.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Thin the paint with linseed oil to create transparent washes.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
