plate no. 8126

Penitent Magdalene

panelBaroquereligious paintingfigureskullhairreligiousMagdalenedark background

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly rendering skin tones and hair, and understanding chiaroscuro to create depth and drama. It also provides practice in depicting textures, such as the hair and the skull.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the skull.
step 02
Establish the dark background with a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figure, skull, and hair, using a limited palette.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the skin tones, paying attention to the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the details of the hair, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and movement.
step 06
Refine the skull, adding highlights and shadows to define its form.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the tears and the highlights on the skin.
step 08
Glaze the painting to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Mix skin tones using white, sienna, umber, and a touch of red and yellow. Use black and umber for shadows, and add blue to darken the shadows further. Create highlights by adding more white to the base colors.

techniques