St. Francis receiving the stigmata

St. Francis is shown in three-quarter profile, gazing upward in rapture, with pale, elongated features characteristic of El Greco. Light streams from the upper left, creating a strong directional glow that silhouettes his dark robe against a luminous sky of cream and olive-green clouds. The composition is vertical and intimate; the eye moves from his upturned face to his expressive hands (one extended, one gestural) to the pale skull resting in shadow at his feet. A small seraphic figure appears in the upper left corner among the clouds, barely visible but crucial to the narrative of the stigmata vision.

The painting operates on a clear value system: the figure's face and exposed skin are among the lightest values, almost luminescent against deep shadows. The sky provides the mid-light foundation, cream and warm yellow in the upper regions fading to olive-green in the cloud masses. Francis's robe is a unified dark mass—deep brown-black in shadow, slightly lighter where light strikes the fabric folds. The skull occupies the bridge between these zones: pale enough to read clearly but darker than the sky. When you squint, you see three distinct zones: light sky, dark figure, and the skull as a transitional anchor.

• #d0c384

  Titanium white + raw sienna + touch of burnt sienna

  The sky, particularly the upper and center regions; highlights on Francis's face, neck, and the skull

• #aaa26b

  Raw sienna + titanium white + touch of ochre

  Mid-tones in the skull, warm highlights on drapery folds, the bridge between shadow and light on the robe

• #786e44

  Burnt sienna + raw umber + touch of green to grey it

  Mid-dark shadows in the robe, cloud shadows, warm shadows in the face modulation

• #413928

  Burnt umber + ivory black

  Dark folds of the robe, deep shadows beneath the figure and around the skull

• #29221e

  Ivory black + burnt umber + touch of raw umber

  Francis's hair, the darkest accents in shadow, the deepest recesses of drapery folds

El Greco uses a mix of sharp and soft edges here—the face is rendered with relatively controlled edges and smooth blending to create the serene, almost porcelain quality of Francis's features. The drapery shows energetic, directional brushwork suggesting movement and spiritual wind; the folds are suggested with firm strokes rather than slavishly rendered. The sky is the most visibly brushed area, with loose, gestural cloud masses painted wet-into-wet or with visible directional marks that create atmosphere rather than botanical detail. Hands are delicately modeled with precise edges to show the stigmata wounds and convey tenderness.

1. 01

   Tonal Underpainting

   Cover the entire canvas with a thin, transparent burnt umber wash diluted with linseed oil. Let this dry completely. This warm tone will unify the painting and allow you to judge values accurately throughout. You're creating a coherent undertone, not a final layer.

2. 02

   Block in the Sky

   Working loosely, establish the major cloud masses using titanium white mixed with raw sienna and ochre for the lighter cream areas, and burnt sienna + green-grey for the shadowed clouds. The upper portion should be warmer and lighter; let it transition to cooler, muted greens in the central and lower cloud forms. Don't blend these smoothly yet—capture the variety and movement of the cloud shapes.

3. 03

   Establish the Figure Mass

   Block in Francis's entire silhouette using a mix of burnt umber, raw umber, and ivory black for the robe and shadows. Keep this value unified and dark so it reads against the sky. Lightly indicate the outline of his head, the general direction of the arms and hands, and the position of the skull. You're creating the negative space and the figure's footprint, not details.

4. 04

   Model the Face

   Using titanium white + raw sienna with touches of ochre, begin to model Francis's face. His face is one of the lightest areas. Build the pale underpainting first, then add warm shadows (burnt sienna + touch of umber) in the eye sockets, along the jaw, and under the cheekbone. The profile should read clearly—note the long, narrow nose and pointed chin typical of El Greco. Pay attention to the upturned gaze; the eyes should convey ecstasy through direction and openness.

5. 05

   Render the Hands and Stigmata

   The hands are small but critically visible. Block in their pale tone (white + raw sienna), then add the shadow planes underneath and between the fingers. The stigmata wounds should be suggested with warm reds or burnt sienna touches—they should read as wounds, not arbitrary marks. The left hand (extended downward) and right hand (gestural at his side) both need careful positioning to show the sacred wounds clearly. Keep the hands soft-edged and luminous.

6. 06

   Develop the Drapery

   Return to the robe with mid-tones and shadows. Use combinations of burnt sienna, raw umber, and black to create the sculptural folds. Follow the form of the body beneath—the folds should suggest the underlying structure even if they're exaggerated and elongated. Use directional brushwork to suggest the fabric's movement. The rope cord at his waist is a small detail but helps anchor the composition.

7. 07

   Place the Skull

   Paint the skull with a pale ochre (raw sienna + titanium white), ensuring it reads as a distinct object. Add deep shadow underneath and around it using burnt umber + black. The skull sits in the lower left corner in relative darkness, but its pale tone should make it legible. Show the empty eye sockets and basic anatomical structure; this isn't a delicate detail, but it should be clearly readable as a memento mori.

8. 08

   Unify and Refine

   Step back and assess the overall value structure. The sky may need more atmospheric blending and softer edges. The transition from light face to dark background may need refinement—sometimes a thin glaze of warm tone helps. The hands and skull may need a touch more definition. Check that the seraphic figure in the upper left reads (it's small and dark but should be distinguishable). Make final adjustments to edge quality—sharper where forms meet clearly, softer where they dissolve into atmosphere.

• Making the figure's proportions 'normal'—El Greco's elongated anatomy is essential to this work's spiritual intensity. Resist the urge to shorten the neck or normalize the face. Trust that the strangeness serves the devotional purpose.
• Letting the face become a flat mask rather than a modeled form. Even though it's luminous and pale, it needs warm and cool shadows to convey the cheekbone structure and the turning of the head. A face without shadow reads as dead.
• Muddying the sky. The cream and yellow tones should glow warmly, and the greens should feel cool but not dingy. This requires clean mixing and restraint—sometimes leaving areas less blended creates the luminosity better than over-blending.
• Forgetting the stigmata wounds or making them too obvious. The wounds are present but subtle—small red or darker marks on the hands. They're not the visual focus; the spiritual ecstasy in the face is.
• Losing the drapery folds in shadow. It's easy for the dark robe to become a simple shape. The folds must be traced and varied—some catching light, some fully shadowed—to suggest the fabric and underlying form, even when painting thinly.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility