plate no. 7417

St Jerome

oil, canvasMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfigureportraitbeardreligious figurehalorobe

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in rendering realistic skin tones and textures, as well as understanding chiaroscuro to create depth and form. It also offers practice in depicting fabrics and creating a sense of atmosphere.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare the canvas with a toned ground (e.g., burnt umber wash).
step 02
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, focusing on the head, beard, and robe.
step 03
Establish the main areas of light and shadow using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Begin layering paint, starting with the darker areas and gradually building up the highlights.
step 05
Pay close attention to the skin tones, mixing colors to capture the subtle variations in hue and value.
step 06
Develop the texture of the beard using dry brush techniques and layering.
step 07
Refine the details of the robe and background, paying attention to the folds and drapery.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the face and beard to create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, raw sienna, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Use burnt umber and black for shadows. Mix white with yellow ochre and a touch of burnt sienna for highlights in the beard.

techniques