plate no. 1170

St Louis

oilInternational Gothicreligious paintingfigurereligiousbookcrownstaffgeometric pattern

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for aged effects, and rendering textures with visible brushstrokes. It also offers practice in replicating geometric patterns and understanding historical art styles.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, including the figure, book, crown, and surrounding geometric frame.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of yellow ochre and raw sienna, allowing for variations in tone to simulate age.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the figure's face, hair, clothing, and book, using muted tones.
step 04
Begin layering details on the face, focusing on subtle color variations for highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the crown and staff, using small brushes for precision.
step 06
Develop the texture of the book cover using dry brush techniques and varying shades of red and brown.
step 07
Carefully paint the geometric patterns around the central figure, paying attention to symmetry and color placement.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a cohesive and aged appearance.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · red oxide · ivory black · flesh tint · gold

Achieve the aged look by mixing muted tones with yellow ochre, raw sienna, and burnt umber. Use small amounts of black to darken shadows, and white to create highlights. Flesh tones are achieved by mixing red, yellow, and white.

techniques