plate no. 8721

Virgin and Child

oil, panelNorthern Renaissancereligious paintingfigurereligiousportraitchilddraperyframe

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including accurate proportions and subtle skin tone variations, as well as understanding how to render drapery folds and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main figures and composition.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of red paint.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes and values of the Virgin's face and hands using thin washes of color.
step 04
Begin building up the skin tones of the child, paying close attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the Virgin's dark blue robe, focusing on the folds and drapery.
step 06
Add details to the child's features, hands, and feet.
step 07
Refine the background and add subtle textures.
step 08
Paint the frame and the inscriptions.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · cadmium red light · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, red, yellow ochre, and a touch of umber. Create the dark blue robe by mixing ultramarine blue and ivory black. Use thin glazes to build up color depth.

techniques