plate no. 5668
St. Paul
Hendrick Goltzius, 1589
print, engravingMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfigureportraitbeardlandscapeswordreligious
experienced study
Recreating this engraving will develop skills in hatching, cross-hatching, and creating tonal variations using line work. Students will also learn to depict complex drapery and facial features using a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
1
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes of the figure, landscape, and drapery.
- step 02
Establish the darkest areas using dense hatching and cross-hatching.
- step 03
Gradually build up the mid-tones by varying the spacing and density of the lines.
- step 04
Use curved lines to follow the contours of the forms and create a sense of volume.
- step 05
Pay close attention to the direction of the lines to convey the texture of the beard, hair, and clothing.
- step 06
Add fine details to the face, hands, and sword.
- step 07
Refine the background landscape with varying line weights to create depth.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall tonal balance.
color palette
primary · black · white
secondary ·
This is a monochromatic artwork, so the focus is on creating shades of gray through line density.
techniques
- ·Hatching
- ·Cross-hatching
- ·Line weight variation
- ·Contour drawing
- ·Stippling (optional, for subtle shading)
common pitfalls
- →Creating overly uniform lines, which can flatten the image.
- →Failing to follow the contours of the forms, resulting in a lack of volume.
- →Overworking the details, leading to a cluttered appearance.
- →Not establishing a clear light source, making the shading inconsistent.
materials
surface · Smooth drawing paper
required
- ·Smooth drawing paper
- ·Graphite pencils (HB, 2B, 4B)
- ·Eraser
- ·Ruler
- ·Fine-tipped drawing pens (optional)
optional
- ·Tracing paper
- ·Magnifying glass
- ·Blending stump
Use a variety of pencils to achieve different tonal values. Consider using fine-tipped drawing pens for a more precise and detailed rendering.
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