The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and St. John the Baptist

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ivory black · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Achieve skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of red, yellow ochre, and raw umber. Use glazes of burnt sienna and red to add warmth and depth. Create the dark background by mixing black with umber and a touch of blue.

techniques

• ·glazing
• ·scumbling
• ·portraiture
• ·figure drawing
• ·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

• →Inaccurate proportions in the initial sketch.
• →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy appearance.
• →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
• →Ignoring the subtle value changes that define form.