plate no. 9478
Ten thousand martyrs
Jacopo Pontormo, 1529
advanced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, composition, and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective and value changes. It also provides practice in rendering complex scenes with many figures.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
1
study guide
est. 40 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a rough sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of major elements.
- step 02
Block in the main shapes and forms using a limited palette of earth tones.
- step 03
Establish the light source and begin to define the value structure of the painting.
- step 04
Start adding details to the figures, focusing on anatomy and expression.
- step 05
Develop the background elements, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
- step 06
Refine the colors and values, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figures and objects in the foreground.
- step 08
Glaze the painting to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · red ochre
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light · ivory black
Mix various shades of skin tones using burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and ivory black to create cooler shadows. Add red ochre for warmer tones.
techniques
- ·figure drawing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·glazing
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·underpainting
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the initial sketch.
- →Inaccurate proportions of the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 24x36
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·red ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·dammar varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the underpainting process.
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