plate no. 6984
Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo
Francesco Guardi, 1763
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering architectural details with loose brushwork. It also provides practice in creating depth and suggesting figures in a crowd.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the horizon line, focusing on perspective.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with thin washes of burnt umber and raw sienna.
- step 03
Block in the sky with a mix of white, blue, and a touch of umber, blending softly.
- step 04
Add details to the buildings, using a smaller brush to define edges and architectural elements.
- step 05
Paint the water with horizontal strokes, reflecting the colors of the sky and buildings.
- step 06
Suggest figures and boats with quick, gestural brushstrokes.
- step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth tones with white and small amounts of blue. Use glazes of diluted color to create depth and atmosphere.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Getting bogged down in excessive detail too early.
- →Failing to establish a strong sense of perspective.
- →Overworking the painting and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
Use a canvas with a smooth texture to facilitate blending and glazing. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.
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