plate no. 5876

Barche sulla spiaggia

Ottone Rosai, 1955

oilCubismcityscapebuildingsboatsbeachskyarchitecture

suitable for beginners

This painting is great for learning about simplifying shapes and using a limited color palette to create a cohesive scene. Students will practice blocking in basic forms and creating subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and boats, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light, even tone.
step 03
Apply the base color for the sand, mixing a warm beige.
step 04
Paint the buildings with a slightly off-white color, adding subtle shadows with a touch of blue or gray.
step 05
Add the roof colors, mixing browns and reds.
step 06
Paint the boats with their respective colors (red, white, blue), adding darker tones for shadows.
step 07
Refine the shapes and edges of the objects, adding subtle details and highlights.
step 08
Add the artist's signature.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and burnt sienna to create the off-white for the buildings. Use white and blue to create the sky. Mix raw umber and white for the sand.

techniques

·blocking in
·color mixing
·simplification of form
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the shapes and details.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Creating harsh lines instead of soft edges.
→Not paying attention to the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·titanium white oil paint
·raw umber oil paint
·burnt sienna oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·cadmium red light oil paint
·round brushes size 4 and 8
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a medium-grain canvas for a slightly textured effect. Consider using a limited palette of oil paints to match the original painting's color scheme.

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