plate no. 3285
Saint Sergius' labours (right part of the triptych)
Mikhaïl Nesterov, 1896
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in snow and atmospheric perspective, as well as practice rendering realistic figures in a landscape setting.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, buildings, and path.
- step 02
Block in the main areas of color: sky, snow, buildings, and figure's robe.
- step 03
Begin layering colors in the sky, blending pinks, blues, and whites to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
- step 04
Develop the snow, using cool blues, purples, and whites to capture the shadows and highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the buildings, paying attention to the texture of the wood and the shapes of the snow-covered roofs.
- step 06
Refine the figure, focusing on the folds of the robe and the details of the face and hands.
- step 07
Add the halo and other religious symbols.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · alizarin crimson
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix blues and whites with small amounts of crimson and umber to create the cool tones of the snow. Use white and crimson to create the pinks in the sky. Mix umber and blue to create the dark tones of the robe.
techniques
- ·color layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·dry brushing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the snow.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the background appear too sharp.
- →Getting the figure's proportions wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
Use a high-quality canvas and artist-grade oil paints for best results. Consider using a medium to thin the paints and improve blending.
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