plate no. 3134

Saint Paul

oil, canvasBaroquereligious paintingfigurebookrobebeardswordreligious

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, drapery rendering, and creating depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in depicting textures like skin, fabric, and metal.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure, book, and sword.
step 02
Establish the background with a dark, muted tone.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the robe using a mid-tone red.
step 04
Develop the light and shadow on the face, paying attention to the bone structure.
step 05
Add details to the beard and hair, using thin brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the folds and highlights in the robe to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Paint the book, focusing on the edges and the suggestion of text.
step 08
Add the sword, paying attention to the metallic sheen and reflections.

color palette

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

secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve the skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white. Create the red robe by mixing cadmium red with burnt umber for shadows and adding white for highlights. Use ivory black and white for the sword, adding touches of yellow ochre for warmth.

techniques

·chiaroscuro
·glazing
·scumbling
·portraiture
·drapery

common pitfalls

→Oversimplifying the value structure of the face.
→Making the red robe too flat and lacking depth.
→Not paying enough attention to the details of the book and sword.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium red, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife