plate no. 9711

Winged altar in St. Peter in Leuven

oil, woodNorthern Renaissancereligious paintingfiguresinteriorarchitecturetablereligious scenealtarpiece

experienced study

Recreating this painting would help students develop skills in figure drawing, perspective, and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective and color temperature. It also offers practice in rendering realistic textures and fabrics.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and perspective of the room and figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors of the background, including the walls, floor, and ceiling.
step 03
Roughly sketch the positions and proportions of the figures around the table.
step 04
Start adding details to the faces and clothing of the figures, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Refine the details of the table setting, including the plates, cups, and tablecloth.
step 06
Work on the surrounding scenes in the side panels, using similar techniques for figures and landscapes.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze layers to unify the colors and create a smooth finish.

color palette

primary · red · brown · white · blue

secondary · gold · green · grey · purple

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth pigments with white and small amounts of other colors. Use glazes of transparent colors to create depth and luminosity.

techniques