Allegro (Sonata of the Serpent)

Lightly sketch the main architectural structures and landscape elements, paying attention to perspective.

Apply a thin wash of diluted yellow ochre or raw sienna to the entire paper as a base tone.

Begin layering in the sky and distant landscape with very diluted blues and greens, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.

Start building up the architectural details with slightly more concentrated greens and blues, defining the stones and arches.

Add darker values to the shadows and crevices of the structures to create depth.

Use a fine brush to add details like the figures and the serpentine path.

Glaze over areas with diluted washes to unify the colors and create a soft, dreamlike quality.

Add final highlights with a very light, almost white, green or blue.