plate no. 2436
St. Pafnuty
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice portrait painting techniques, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones and textures. It also offers practice in depicting drapery and creating a sense of depth through layering and subtle value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, halo, and hands.
- step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of blue, allowing for variations in tone.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the face, beard, clothing, and halo.
- step 04
Begin layering and blending colors to create form and depth in the face and hands.
- step 05
Add details to the beard, paying attention to the direction of the hair.
- step 06
Refine the clothing folds and shadows.
- step 07
Add the rosary beads, focusing on their placement and shadows.
- step 08
Apply final highlights and details to the face, hands, and halo.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black · gold
Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining raw umber, burnt sienna, and ivory black with white. Achieve the golden halo by mixing yellow ochre with a touch of burnt sienna and white.
techniques
- ·portrait painting
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overblending, resulting in a loss of texture.
- →Incorrect proportions of the figure.
- →Failing to capture the subtle value changes in the face.
- →Making the halo too uniform and flat.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·odorless mineral spirits (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-grit canvas for better paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
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