plate no. 6146

A Calm Sea

oil, canvasBaroquemarinaseashipsskytreesboatsfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create depth using subtle value and color shifts. Students will also learn to paint convincing water reflections and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a neutral color.
step 02
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements: horizon line, ships, landmass, and boats.
step 03
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, blending softly to create a hazy effect.
step 04
Establish the basic colors of the water, using darker tones near the foreground and lighter tones towards the horizon.
step 05
Paint the distant ships, paying attention to their simplified forms and muted colors due to atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Develop the landmass and trees on the right side, using a range of browns, greens, and yellows.
step 07
Add details to the boats and figures in the foreground, focusing on accurate proportions and values.
step 08
Refine the reflections in the water, ensuring they match the colors and values of the objects above.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve the hazy sky and water by mixing blues, grays, and whites. Use raw umber and yellow ochre for the foliage, and add burnt sienna for warmer tones. Mix black and umber for dark accents.

techniques

·Atmospheric perspective
·Glazing
·Soft blending
·Dry brushing
·Scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the distant ships.
→Creating too much contrast in the water, losing the atmospheric effect.
→Making the colors too saturated, resulting in an unrealistic look.
→Ignoring the subtle value shifts that create depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (ultramarine blue, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil