plate no. 7160

St. Anthony Abbot

oil, canvasBaroquereligious paintingfigurebeardportraitreligious figurerobe

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing light and shadow to create form. It also provides practice in blending and layering paint to achieve subtle color transitions.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch of the figure's proportions and placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of blue and brown tones.
step 03
Establish the main shadow shapes on the face and robe using a mid-tone brown.
step 04
Begin layering lighter tones on the face to define the highlights and planes.
step 05
Add details to the beard, using small brushstrokes to create texture and volume.
step 06
Refine the details of the robe, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the portrait.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Mix raw umber and white for the skin tones, adding small amounts of red and yellow for warmth. Use Prussian blue and raw umber for the background, varying the proportions to create subtle color shifts.

techniques

·grisaille underpainting
·scumbling
·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
→Making the beard appear too uniform and lacking in texture.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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