plate no. 6080

Saint Eufemia

oilBaroquereligious paintingfiguresaintdraperyhaloreligious

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering skin tones and drapery folds with subtle gradations. It also provides practice in achieving a sense of depth through value and color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the figure's pose and proportions.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, including the face, hair, clothing, and drapery.
step 04
Begin to develop the skin tones, using a limited palette of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
step 05
Add shadows and highlights to the face and hands to create form.
step 06
Work on the drapery, paying attention to the folds and how they catch the light.
step 07
Refine the details of the clothing and the saw, adding texture and definition.
step 08
Add the halo and any final details.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · red ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a small amount of red. Use burnt umber and ultramarine blue to create the darker tones in the drapery. Add white to lighten the colors and create highlights.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·blending
·underpainting

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the drapery.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, red ochre, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife
·rags