plate no. 7080

St. Anthony Abbot

oil, woodMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfiguresaintscrollstaffbeardreligious

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding how to create depth and form through careful value control and subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figure's pose, the scroll, and the staff.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin layer of muted green.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figure, focusing on accurate proportions and placement.
step 04
Begin layering the skin tones, starting with mid-tones and gradually adding highlights and shadows.
step 05
Develop the drapery, paying attention to the folds and how light interacts with the fabric.
step 06
Refine the details of the face, including the eyes, nose, and mouth, to capture the saint's expression.
step 07
Add details to the scroll and staff, including the lettering on the scroll.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and realistic image.

color palette

primary · raw umber · ivory black · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create deep shadows in the drapery. Muted greens for the background can be achieved by mixing yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and white.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·portraiture
·underpainting

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Failing to create sufficient contrast between light and shadow.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the drapery.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (raw umber, ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife