plate no. 0010

Amalfi

oil, canvasRomanticismcityscapecityscapemountainsseafiguresbuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing movement with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in rendering complex architectural details and figures in a dynamic composition.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the mountains, buildings, and sea.
step 02
Establish the sky with light washes of blue, pink, and white, blending the colors softly.
step 03
Block in the mountains using muted earth tones, gradually adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 04
Paint the sea with varying shades of blue and green, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 05
Add the buildings, paying attention to their perspective and architectural details.
step 06
Introduce the figures and horses, capturing their movement with quick, expressive brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the buildings, figures, and landscape, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 08
Add final touches, such as small boats on the sea and subtle details in the sky.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Achieve the atmospheric haze by mixing white with small amounts of blue, pink, and brown. Create the earth tones for the mountains by blending burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and ultramarine blue.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·implied lines

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, which can flatten the painting.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.
→Ignoring the principles of atmospheric perspective, resulting in a lack of depth.
→Using colors that are too saturated, which can detract from the overall harmony.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife