plate no. 8752
Virgin and Child with St James the Great
Luis Paret y Alcazar, 1786
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering soft, diffused light and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in painting figures with subtle skin tones and drapery folds.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 30 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the main figures and composition.
- step 02
Establish the background tones and atmospheric perspective with thin washes.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the figures, focusing on accurate proportions.
- step 04
Begin layering colors on the figures, building up highlights and shadows gradually.
- step 05
Refine the details of the faces, hands, and drapery folds.
- step 06
Add details to the background elements, such as the clouds and landscape.
- step 07
Glaze over areas to unify the color palette and create a sense of depth.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · rose madder · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt umber · viridian · cadmium yellow light · ivory black
Achieve the soft skin tones by mixing white with small amounts of rose madder, yellow ochre, and burnt umber. Create the atmospheric perspective by adding white and blue to the background colors.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·chiaroscuro
common pitfalls
- →overworking the details too early
- →using colors that are too saturated
- →failing to establish a clear value structure
- →not paying attention to proportions
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·rose madder oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the initial value structure.
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