plate no. 8004

Return from Calvary

Herbert Gustave Schmalz (Herbert Carmichael), 1891

oilRomanticismreligious paintingfigurescityscapeskyarchitecturestepsreligious

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures with drapery and creating atmospheric perspective to depict depth in a cityscape. It also provides practice in achieving subtle color variations and tonal gradations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main figures and the basic layout of the cityscape, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Establish the dark background sky using a thin wash of dark blues and browns.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figures, using a limited palette of earth tones and whites.
step 04
Begin to refine the forms of the figures, adding details to the drapery and facial features.
step 05
Develop the cityscape in the background, using progressively lighter and grayer tones to create atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to the figures and architecture to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details of the foreground steps and add any final touches.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the overall mood.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth colors with white and small amounts of blue or crimson. Create atmospheric perspective by adding white to the background colors.

techniques