plate no. 5969

Three princesses of Saxony, Sibylla, Emilia and Sidonia, daughters of Duke Heinrich of Frommen

oil, panelNorthern Renaissanceportraitportraitfiguresjewelryclothingheaddressrenaissance

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and rendering of facial features, as well as detailed rendering of clothing and jewelry.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a neutral ground.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the three figures.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the background and the figures' skin tones.
step 04
Begin layering the clothing, focusing on the folds and highlights.
step 05
Add details to the jewelry and headdresses, paying attention to the intricate patterns.
step 06
Refine the facial features, using subtle shading to create depth.
step 07
Add final highlights and details to the clothing and jewelry.
step 08
Glaze the painting to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

primary · ivory black · cadmium red · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · viridian · gold

Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Achieve gold tones by mixing yellow ochre with burnt umber and a touch of red. Darken colors with ivory black and lighten with titanium white.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·layering
·portraiture
·rendering

common pitfalls

→Inaccurate proportions of the figures.
→Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff appearance.
→Incorrect color mixing, leading to muddy or unnatural tones.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and dimension.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (ivory black, cadmium red, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt umber, viridian)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags