plate no. 1804
Onorio Marinari Virgin and Child, in a Feigned Oval
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and drapery folds. It also provides practice in creating a soft, diffused light effect.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the oval and the basic shapes of the figures, focusing on proportions.
- step 02
Establish the background color with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figures: skin tones, drapery, and hair.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to subtle shifts in value and hue.
- step 05
Develop the drapery folds, using highlights and shadows to create form.
- step 06
Add details to the faces, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 07
Refine the hair, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall sense of depth and realism.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · raw sienna
Achieve the skin tones by mixing titanium white, yellow ochre, and a touch of cadmium red light. Use burnt umber for shadows and ultramarine blue for cooler undertones. Mix greens and browns for the background.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·blending
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·drapery rendering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the figures.
- →Ignoring the subtle shifts in value and hue in the drapery.
- →Creating harsh lines instead of soft transitions.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to improve the flow and blending of the paints.
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