plate no. 1607

An Italian Three Master Under Jury Rig off a Rocky Headland

oilRomanticismmarinashipseawavesskycloudscoastline

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to depict the movement of water. It also provides practice in rendering details of a sailing ship.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line, the basic shapes of the ship, the distant landmass, and the overall wave structure.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of grays and blues, paying attention to the cloud formations.
step 03
Establish the base color of the sea, using a mix of greens, blues, and browns, varying the tones to suggest depth.
step 04
Paint the ship's hull and sails, focusing on the dark and light areas to create form.
step 05
Add highlights to the waves to create the illusion of breaking water and foam.
step 06
Refine the details of the ship, including the rigging and any visible figures.
step 07
Add final touches to the sky and sea, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 08
Include the small birds in the sky.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix various shades of gray for the sky by combining ultramarine blue, raw umber, and white. Achieve the green of the sea by mixing ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, and raw umber. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for the ship's hull.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Making the waves appear too uniform and static.
→Not capturing the atmospheric perspective, causing the distant land to appear too sharp.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags