plate no. 9406

The Pazzi Crucifixion (detail 3)

oilEarly Renaissancereligious paintingfigurebeardrobehalolandscapehands

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good exercise in portraiture and drapery, focusing on subtle color variations and soft blending techniques. Students can develop their skills in rendering realistic skin tones and creating a sense of depth through layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the proportions of the figure and the placement of the hands and head.
step 02
Establish the background with thin washes of green and brown, paying attention to the atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the robe with a mid-tone gray-blue.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones with layers of warm and cool colors, focusing on the subtle variations in light and shadow.
step 05
Paint the beard using thin, broken strokes of white, gray, and brown to create texture and volume.
step 06
Add details to the hands, paying attention to the folds and wrinkles.
step 07
Refine the drapery folds in the robe, using darker values to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add the halo with gold or yellow ochre, and adjust the overall values and colors to create a harmonious composition.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · ivory black

Mix various skin tones by blending white, yellow ochre, raw umber, and a touch of red. Achieve the gray-blue of the robe by mixing ultramarine blue, white, and a small amount of raw umber.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·soft blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overblending, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Using too much white, which can make the skin tones look chalky.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the skin and drapery.
→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, cadmium red light, ivory black)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brush (size 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife