plate no. 9062

Amalfi I.

oilExpressionismlandscapemountainsbuildingsboatswaterskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve nuanced tones and practice layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and forms.

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 mountains, buildings, and boats, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky, mountains, and water. Use thin washes of paint.
step 03
Begin layering colors within each area, building up the values and adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Add details to the buildings and boats, using smaller brushes and more precise strokes.
step 05
Refine the composition by adjusting the colors and values as needed.
step 06
Add final details such as reflections in the water and highlights on the mountains.
step 07
Let the painting dry completely.
step 08
Varnish the painting for protection and to enhance the colors.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · viridian green · cadmium yellow · raw umber

Mix ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for dark shadows. Use yellow ochre and titanium white to create the sandy beach. Mix viridian green and cadmium yellow for the greens in the mountains.

techniques

·broken color
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the initial brushstrokes.
→Not paying attention to the values and creating a flat, uninteresting composition.
→Getting bogged down in details too early in the process.
→Inaccurate initial sketch leading to compositional issues later on.