Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ivory black · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Use burnt umber and ivory black to create the dark background and shadows. Mix yellow ochre and titanium white to create the highlights on the armor. Add small amounts of cadmium red and ultramarine blue to create subtle variations in the colors.

techniques

• ·chiaroscuro
• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·rendering metal
• ·portraiture

common pitfalls

• →Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
• →Failing to create a convincing sense of depth and volume.
• →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the initial sketch.
• →Not paying enough attention to the subtle shifts in value and color.