plate no. 4230
St. Christopher
Konrad Witz, 1435
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in water, creating atmospheric perspective, and rendering realistic textures of rocks and fabric.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
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 St. Christopher, the child, and the major landscape elements.
- step 02
Establish the background with a light wash of blues and greens for the sky and distant water.
- step 03
Block in the large shapes of the rocks and buildings, paying attention to their value relationships.
- step 04
Paint the figure of St. Christopher, starting with the red cloak. Use layers to build up the color and create folds.
- step 05
Add the child figure, focusing on the proportions and pose.
- step 06
Develop the water reflections, using muted versions of the colors above.
- step 07
Refine the details of the rocks, buildings, and foliage, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Add final details like the staff, the reeds in the foreground, and the figures in the background.
color palette
primary · red · blue · green · brown
secondary · yellow ochre · white · grey
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric perspective.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·rendering fabric folds
- ·creating reflections
common pitfalls
- →overworking details too early
- →inaccurate proportions of figures
- →muddying the colors
- →ignoring value relationships
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brush (size 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil or acrylic medium
- ·rags
optional
- ·retarder medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium to thin the paints and create glazes. Consider using a toned canvas to establish the mid-tones.
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