plate no. 7334

A Marble fountain at Aranjuez, Spain

John Singer Sargent, 1912

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapefountaintreesparkarchitecturelandscapesculpture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow with loose brushstrokes and understanding warm and cool color relationships to create depth. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the fountain, the surrounding ground, and the trees in the background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: the fountain, the ground, the trees, and the sky.
step 03
Establish the darkest shadows and lightest highlights on the fountain to define its form.
step 04
Develop the background trees and foliage with loose, gestural brushstrokes, focusing on color variations.
step 05
Refine the details of the fountain, such as the carvings and the edges, using smaller brushes.
step 06
Add highlights to the ground and the fountain to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 07
Check the overall composition and make any necessary adjustments to the values and colors.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix various shades of yellow ochre and raw umber with white to create the different tones of the fountain. Use sap green and ultramarine blue to create the greens of the foliage, and add burnt sienna for warmer tones.

techniques

·broken color
·alla prima
·scumbling
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the fountain, losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating too much contrast, making the painting look harsh.
→Not paying attention to the color temperature of the light, resulting in a flat or unrealistic painting.
→Failing to simplify the background, making it compete with the fountain for attention.