plate no. 0059

St. Andrew

oilEarly Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresaintreligiouscrossbookgold background

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering drapery folds and achieving a sense of depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in creating a convincing portrait with realistic skin tones and facial features.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the figure, cross, and frame, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the gold background with a base layer of yellow ochre.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the robe, beard, and skin tones.
step 04
Begin layering and blending the colors in the robe to create the folds and shadows.
step 05
Develop the facial features, focusing on accurate placement and subtle value changes.
step 06
Add details to the cross and book, including highlights and shadows.
step 07
Apply a thin glaze of burnt umber to the gold background to create an aged effect.
step 08
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments to the overall composition.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · green · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black · red ochre

Achieve the green robe by mixing yellow ochre and a touch of blue or black. Create the skin tones by blending titanium white, yellow ochre, and a small amount of red ochre. Use raw umber and burnt sienna for the cross and book.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·blending
·chiaroscuro
·underpainting

common pitfalls

→Overblending the drapery, resulting in a flat appearance.
→Incorrect proportions of the figure.
→Using too much black, making the colors appear muddy.
→Neglecting the subtle value changes in the face.
→Inaccurate rendering of the gold background.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas
·Acrylic gesso
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, green, titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, ivory black, red ochre)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Assorted paint brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife