plate no. 6816

The Holy Family with Saints Anne and John

oil, temperaHigh Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresreligiousfamilyinfantdraperyportrait

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, figure drawing, and achieving subtle gradations in skin tones and fabric folds. It also provides practice in creating a complex composition with multiple figures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the composition and placement of figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones of the figures, focusing on subtle highlights and shadows.
step 04
Develop the drapery, paying attention to the folds and how they catch the light.
step 05
Refine the details of the faces, including the eyes, nose, and mouth.
step 06
Add the background, keeping it dark and muted to emphasize the figures.
step 07
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and add depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, sienna, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the dark background. Mix red and umber for the drapery shadows.

techniques

·glazing
·chiaroscuro
·sfumato
·portraiture
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the skin tones and creating a muddy effect.
→Failing to capture the subtle expressions of the figures.
→Losing the overall composition by focusing too much on individual details.
→Not achieving enough depth in the shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife