plate no. 3883
Virgin and Child
Hans Baldung, 1540
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate skin tone mixing and rendering of fabric folds. It also provides practice in depicting the human form and creating a sense of depth through value.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the canvas with a dark ground (burnt umber or black).
- step 02
Lightly sketch the main figures and their positions.
- step 03
Block in the large shapes of the figures and drapery with basic color mixtures.
- step 04
Begin layering skin tones, focusing on subtle value changes to create form.
- step 05
Develop the drapery, paying attention to the folds and shadows.
- step 06
Add details to the faces, hair, and jewelry.
- step 07
Refine the background, ensuring it remains dark and recessive.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light
secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue
Skin tones are achieved by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. The dark drapery is a mix of black, umber, and a touch of red. Hair is created with variations of red, umber, and yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Failing to create sufficient contrast between the figures and the background.
- →Inaccurately rendering the proportions of the figures.
- →Getting the hair color wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·turpentine
A smooth canvas is recommended for achieving the subtle blending in this painting.
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