plate no. 2636

And life goes on

Antonio Sicurezza, 1978

oilPost-Impressionismgenre paintingfigurebuildingstreeslandscapecemeterysky

some experience helpful

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

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition lightly on the canvas, paying attention to the placement of the buildings, trees, and figure.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and ground, using thin washes of paint.
step 03
Establish the basic values of the buildings, using a light yellow ochre mixed with white and a touch of brown for shadows.
step 04
Paint the trees with varying shades of green, brown, and black, using broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Add the figure in blue, paying attention to the folds and shadows in the dress.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings, adding the crosses and architectural elements.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension throughout the painting.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious overall effect.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow light · raw sienna

Mix muted greens by combining sap green with burnt umber and yellow ochre. Achieve the sky color by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a touch of yellow ochre. Create shadows by adding burnt umber to the base colors.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using colors that are too bright and saturated.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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