plate no. 8019

Portrait of a Man with the Medal of Cosimo

wood, temperaEarly Renaissancereligious paintingportraitmanmedallandscapeclothinghair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle shading, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective in the background landscape.

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 proportions of the figure and the placement of the medal.
step 02
Block in the background landscape with thin washes of color, establishing the atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones of the face and hands, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Begin layering the colors in the clothing, building up the dark greens and folds.
step 05
Add details to the hair, using thin brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Carefully paint the medal, focusing on the details of the portrait and the gold tones.
step 07
Refine the facial features, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and expression.
step 08
Add final details and glazes to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · cerulean blue · ivory black

Mix skin tones using yellow ochre, raw umber, and white, with touches of red for warmth. Create the green clothing by mixing viridian green with ivory black and raw umber. Achieve the gold tones of the medal by layering yellow ochre and raw umber.

techniques