plate no. 2640

Boat scene at Milan, drawing by Leitch, engraving by T. Higham

oilRomanticismcityscapecityscapebuildingswaterboatsfiguresarchitecture

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering complex architectural details and creating atmospheric perspective using value variations. It's also good practice for depicting figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and placement of key elements like buildings, boats, and figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes of the buildings and water using broad strokes of diluted paint.
step 03
Establish the darkest and lightest values to create a sense of depth and contrast.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, focusing on windows, architectural features, and textures.
step 05
Paint the boats and figures, paying attention to their proportions and placement within the scene.
step 06
Refine the water, adding reflections and subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the objects.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and details.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · raw umber · payne's gray

Use varying ratios of black and white to create a full range of grays. Add small amounts of raw umber or payne's gray to warm or cool the tones as needed.

techniques