St. Bernardino of Siena preaching to Alfonso V of Aragon

Light pours from above and behind the preacher, creating a golden-yellow radiance that dominates the upper two-thirds of the canvas and draws your eye immediately to the saint's raised figure. The crowd—a dense mass of nobles, soldiers, and onlookers in rich reds, golds, and earth tones—occupies the lower half, anchoring the composition while their upturned faces and gestures direct attention back to the elevated preacher. The tree on the left frames the scene vertically and adds dark mass; the distant pale mountains and soft green-blue sky create atmospheric depth behind the figures. The strongest light hits the saint's robe, the surrounding clouds, and the facing plane of the gathered crowd's bodies.

The painting operates in three clear value zones: the pale, luminous sky and cloud-burst (lightest), the mid-tone crowd and landscape (medium), and the deep charcoal-black shadows of the saint's robe, tree foliage, and distant landscape recesses (darkest). When you squint, you see the saint as a bright vertical accent against warm mid-values, and the crowd reads as a cohesive warm-brown mass punctuated by touches of brighter fabric. The darkest accents—tree shadow, robe interior, ground shadows—are reserved and create focal contrast rather than abundance.

• #d3d47e

  Naples yellow + white, or raw sienna + cadmium yellow light + white

  cloud illumination, sky glow, highlights on raised faces and the saint's upper robe

• #aca95e

  yellow ochre + raw sienna + white

  mid-tone clothing, crowd fabric, landscape middle ground

• #907740

  raw sienna + burnt umber + yellow ochre

  shadow on crowd figures, tree trunks, rich fabric folds in reds and golds

• #6f402b

  burnt umber + alizarin crimson + yellow ochre

  warm shadows on faces, underpainting visible in darker robes

• #483124

  burnt umber + ultramarine + touch of alizarin

  deepest shadows in tree, black robe recesses, ground

• #201515

  ultramarine + burnt umber + alizarin crimson

  darkest accents: tree silhouette, folds in saint's robe, extreme shadow

Goya uses soft, blended edges throughout the crowd and sky—faces and bodies merge into one another with warm glazes rather than sharp outlines, creating a unified mass. The saint's robe has crisper edges where it catches light but softens into shadow with feathered brushwork. The tree is rendered with quick, directional strokes that suggest foliage texture rather than detail. Distant landscape and sky are thinly painted and blurred; the foreground crowd receives more impasto and visible brushstrokes, especially in the fabric highlights.

1. 01

   Establish the light source and value underpainting

   Tone your entire canvas with a warm middle value—burnt sienna + yellow ochre thinned with turpentine. Work quickly and keep it loose. Then block in the light rays falling from above: use a pale ochre-yellow mixture to indicate the glowing cloud mass and sky zone behind the saint. This warm wash will unify your later color choices and anchor the dramatic lighting.

2. 02

   Block in the main compositional masses

   Using burnt umber + ultramarine thinned to a transparent wash, establish the tree as a dark vertical shape on the left, the saint's figure as a central vertical accent in black-brown, and the crowd as a warm irregular mass below. Do not detail faces yet—treat the crowd as one unit with simple directional strokes suggesting upturned poses. Leave the sky and cloud area lighter.

3. 03

   Build the luminous sky and cloud

   Using Naples yellow or cadmium yellow light mixed with white, paint the bright cloud formation that frames the saint's upper half. Keep edges soft and feathered into the surrounding pale green-blue sky (mix ultramarine + cadmium yellow light + plenty of white). The light should feel warm and almost hazy. Use a dry brush or blending rag to soften transitions—this glow is key to the painting's drama.

4. 04

   Establish crowd fabric and warm local colors

   Over your brown underpainting, begin laying in the warm mid-tones of the crowd: raw sienna + yellow ochre for the main body of clothing, touches of alizarin crimson for the red robes of soldiers and nobles in the lower left and right. Keep values moderate; the crowd should read as a unified warm-brown group. Use loose, directional strokes that suggest folds and posture without rendering individual fabric threads. Notice the small child in yellow-gold at lower left—this spot receives warm light from above.

5. 05

   Model the crowd faces and key figures

   Begin refining faces within the crowd, focusing on those nearest the picture plane and most brightly lit. Use a mix of yellow ochre + raw sienna + a touch of alizarin for warm skin tones, and keep them soft and blended. The faces in shadow (deep within the crowd, especially to the right rear) should recede into darker ochre-brown. The armored figures at lower right receive sharper attention and lighter values on their faces; the elderly or shadowed faces at left rear fade. Do not outline—let shadow and light shapes define features.

6. 06

   Refine and darken the saint's robe and hands

   The saint's black robe is your strongest dark and most important accent. Layer burnt umber + ultramarine + alizarin crimson to achieve a deep, warm black that is not dead—it should reflect the golden light around it with subtle warm undertones in the shadows. Paint the hands and face with pale yellow ochre + white and alizarin, keeping them luminous and gestural. The cross he holds should be rendered crisply in pale gold catching the light from above.

7. 07

   Deepen shadows and refine the tree

   Go back into the tree foliage on the left with a darker glaze of ultramarine + burnt umber, using broad strokes that suggest leafy masses rather than individual leaves. The tree should frame and darken the composition's left edge. Strengthen shadow accents throughout the crowd—the gaps between figures, the underside of raised arms, the recesses where fabric folds. These darks will make your lighter values sing and increase overall contrast.

8. 08

   Add atmospheric perspective to landscape and final details

   The distant mountains and landscape visible between and above crowd heads should be soft, pale, and slightly cool (ultramarine + cadmium yellow light + lots of white, leaning toward blue-green). This receding zone should feel hazy and support the forward push of the crowd and saint. Add final crisp touches to the saint's raised arms, bright fabric highlights in the crowd, and any small details (buttons, armor catch-lights) that anchor the narrative. Step back frequently to assess overall value and light direction.

• Overworking the crowd into distinct individual portraits—the power comes from treating them as a unified warm mass that supports the saint; blur and blend rather than define every face.
• Making the sky and cloud too pale or too cool—they must be warm and luminous (lean toward ochre-yellow) to justify the golden light falling on the figures below.
• Painting the saint's robe pure black instead of a warm, transparent dark that reflects the surrounding light; this makes the figure feel pasted on rather than immersed in the scene.
• Placing equal detail and sharp edges throughout; remember that distance and shadow demand softer handling, while only the saint, nearest crowd members, and key armor receive crisp articulation.
• Neglecting the small bright accents (the child's yellow garment, highlights on armor, pale faces) that punctuate the composition and guide the viewer's eye.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility