plate no. 5328

Church of San Vitale

oilRomanticismgenre paintingchurchfiguresturkeysarchitectureskybuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering architectural details with watercolor washes. It also provides practice in depicting figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main architectural shapes and figure placements, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted raw sienna or yellow ochre to the entire paper to create a warm underpainting.
step 03
Begin layering washes of color for the sky, building, and ground, starting with the lightest tones.
step 04
Gradually build up darker values in the shadows and architectural details, using multiple layers of diluted paint.
step 05
Paint the figures, starting with the background figures and working towards the foreground.
step 06
Add details to the building, such as the window, roof tiles, and decorative elements.
step 07
Paint the turkeys in the foreground, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · payne's gray

Mix raw sienna and burnt umber for the building's warm tones. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber for the grays in the sky and shadows. Add alizarin crimson to raw sienna for the figures' clothing.

techniques