plate no. 9839
Resurrection of Christ
Carl Bloch, 1875
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, drapery rendering, and creating a sense of ethereal light and shadow. It also provides practice in achieving realistic skin tones and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 30 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main figures and composition.
- step 02
Establish the background cave and the overall light source.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures with a mid-tone.
- step 04
Begin layering values to define the forms of the figures, focusing on light and shadow.
- step 05
Refine the drapery, paying attention to folds and highlights.
- step 06
Add details to the faces and hands, capturing the expressions.
- step 07
Paint the angels' wings and the surrounding lilies.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details, adjusting values as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light
Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ivory black and raw umber for the cave shadows, and add ultramarine blue for cooler tones.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·drapery rendering
- ·figure drawing
common pitfalls
- →overworking the details too early
- →losing the overall light effect
- →inaccurate proportions of the figures
- →muddying the colors with too much mixing
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the mid-tones.
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