plate no. 7138

Bay of Naples

Albert Marquet, 1908

oilPost-Impressionismmarinaboatswatermountainsskybuildingsharbor

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve atmospheric perspective and simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes. It also provides practice in capturing reflections and creating a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the mountain, the harbor buildings, and the arrangement of boats.
step 02
Block in the sky and water with diluted washes of blue, green, and gray, establishing the overall tone.
step 03
Paint the distant mountain with a light, muted blue-gray, focusing on its basic form.
step 04
Add the harbor buildings using darker grays and browns, paying attention to their simple geometric shapes.
step 05
Paint the boats in the foreground, using a mix of browns, whites, and blues. Capture the reflections in the water.
step 06
Add details to the boats and buildings, refining their shapes and adding subtle color variations.
step 07
Create the reflections using vertical strokes of slightly darker and more saturated colors than the objects themselves.
step 08
Review and adjust the values and colors to create a cohesive and atmospheric painting.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Titanium white · Yellow ochre

secondary · Burnt umber · Cadmium yellow light · Payne's gray

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use blues and greens with white for the sky and water, and mix browns and yellows for the boats.

techniques