plate no. 0480

St. Stephen is Consecrated Deacon

oil, canvas, temperaHigh Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresarchitecturecityscapelandscapereligious scenecolumns

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting complex scenes with many figures, and understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth. It also offers practice in rendering architectural details and drapery.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of major elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes of the buildings, landscape, and groups of figures.
step 03
Establish the basic color palette using thin washes of color.
step 04
Develop the architectural details, paying attention to perspective and light.
step 05
Refine the figures, working from general shapes to specific details of clothing and faces.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and volume.
step 07
Work on the background details, using lighter tones and less detail to create atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final details and glazes to unify the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth pigments with white and small amounts of other colors. Use glazes of transparent colors to create depth and richness.

techniques