plate no. 9595

Saint Cecilia

oilBaroquereligious paintingfiguresaintorganmusical instrumentdraperysheet music

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as rendering realistic fabric folds and textures.

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, organ, and drapery.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main color areas: skin tones, drapery colors (green, beige, red), and organ pipes.
step 04
Begin layering and blending skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the drapery folds with careful observation of light and shadow, using glazing techniques.
step 06
Paint the organ pipes, creating a sense of depth and form with subtle value changes.
step 07
Add details such as the jewelry, hair, and sheet music.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and colors as needed.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. The drapery colors are created by mixing the primary colors with white and umber to create muted tones.

techniques