plate no. 4289

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

oilMannerism (Late Renaissance)religious paintingfiguresreligiousfamilyinfantdraperyhalo

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure drawing, particularly the proportions of children, and in rendering drapery with light and shadow. It will also provide practice in achieving a muted, warm color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main figures and their relative positions on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of dark brown, leaving lighter areas where the figures will be.
step 03
Begin blocking in the main shapes of the figures with a mid-tone mixture of raw umber and white.
step 04
Develop the light and shadow on the faces and bodies, paying attention to the subtle transitions.
step 05
Add the drapery, using a slightly lighter value for the highlights and a darker value for the shadows.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces, hands, and feet.
step 07
Add the foliage and other minor details.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and add depth.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black · sap green

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. Use raw umber and ivory black for the darker areas. Mix sap green with yellow ochre and raw umber for the foliage.

techniques