plate no. 4645

St. Onuphrius

oil, canvasTenebrismreligious paintingfigureskullcrownrosarybeardreligious

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in chiaroscuro, portraiture, and rendering realistic skin tones. It also provides practice in depicting textures like hair and bone.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figure and objects.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the dark background and gradually build up the highlights on the figure and objects.
step 04
Focus on accurately rendering the anatomy and details of the face and hands.
step 05
Pay close attention to the light source and how it affects the forms.
step 06
Add details to the skull, crown, and rosary, paying attention to texture and form.
step 07
Refine the edges and transitions between light and shadow.
step 08
Add final glazes to enhance the depth and richness of the colors.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow light · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing burnt umber, raw umber, yellow ochre, and titanium white. Use ivory black to darken shadows and cadmium yellow light to brighten highlights.

techniques