The Annunciation (after Carlo Maratta)

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · raw sienna · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing yellow ochre, burnt umber, and titanium white, with small amounts of cadmium red for warmth. Create shadows by adding ivory black or ultramarine blue to the skin tone mixture. Use thin glazes of ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create depth in the background.

techniques

• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·blending
• ·chiaroscuro
• ·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

• →Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
• →Failing to create a strong sense of depth in the background.
• →Getting the proportions of the figure incorrect.
• →Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in an unnatural look.