plate no. 4504

Saint Francis of Assisi in His Tomb

oilBaroquereligious paintingfigurerobeskullreligiousshadowhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering fabric folds, creating subtle value gradations, and achieving a sense of depth through chiaroscuro. It also provides practice in painting realistic skin tones in low light conditions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic figure and the skull, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the dark background with a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the robe with a mid-tone brown.
step 04
Begin adding shadows and highlights to the robe, gradually building up the form.
step 05
Paint the skull, focusing on capturing its texture and form with subtle color variations.
step 06
Refine the details of the hands and feet, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the robe and skull.
step 08
Glaze the background to deepen the shadows and unify the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt umber · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · titanium white · raw sienna

Achieve the various shades of brown by mixing raw umber, burnt umber, and ivory black in different proportions. Use yellow ochre and titanium white to create highlights and lighter tones.

techniques