Virgin with a Child, St. John and an angel (Madonna del Sacco)

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue mixed with black and a touch of red for the dark blue robe. Create the background greens by mixing blue, yellow, and a touch of brown.

techniques

• ·glazing
• ·blending
• ·scumbling
• ·chiaroscuro
• ·underpainting

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the skin tones, resulting in a muddy or flat appearance.
• →Failing to capture the subtle nuances of the facial expressions.
• →Creating harsh lines or edges, rather than soft transitions.
• →Ignoring the importance of atmospheric perspective in the landscape.