plate no. 1232

Church of the Holy Sacrament in the New Town

oil, canvasRocococityscapecityscapearchitecturechurchbuildingsskyfigures

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, architectural rendering, and creating atmospheric depth through layering and glazing. It will also improve their ability to manage complex compositions with many details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main architectural shapes and the horizon line, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the basic colors for the sky, buildings, and ground, using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the church and other buildings.
step 04
Begin adding details to the architecture, such as windows, columns, and ornamentation.
step 05
Paint the figures and carts in the foreground, simplifying their forms and colors.
step 06
Refine the details in the sky, adding clouds and atmospheric effects.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze over the entire painting to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red light

Mix various shades of gray for the church using white, umber, and a touch of blue. Create warm browns for the buildings and ground by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and yellow ochre. Use glazes of ultramarine blue to create atmospheric perspective in the sky and distant buildings.

techniques

·linear perspective
·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·scumbling
·rendering

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, especially on the architectural elements.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Using colors that are too saturated and bright.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium red light)
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·linseed oil
·assorted round and flat brushes
·palette
·palette knife
·rags