plate no. 7552

Fountain in Italy

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapefountainbuildingwindowsdoorwaycityscapearchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as simplifying complex architectural forms into basic shapes. It's also good practice for capturing light and shadow using visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the fountain, building, and doorway, focusing on proportions.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted burnt umber or raw sienna to establish the overall value structure.
step 03
Block in the main color areas: the fountain's basin, the building's walls, and the doorway.
step 04
Begin layering colors, using short, visible brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 05
Mix greens and grays to represent the shadows and highlights on the building and fountain.
step 06
Add details to the windows and doorway, keeping the brushstrokes loose and expressive.
step 07
Refine the highlights on the fountain to suggest the water's surface.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a cohesive composition.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · cadmium red · sap green · payne's gray

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and cerulean blue or sap green. Achieve various grays by mixing burnt umber, cerulean blue, and titanium white. Use red and burnt umber for the door.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·color layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing on the palette.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure early on.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations within the shadows and highlights.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 or 16x20)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, cerulean blue, cadmium red, sap green, payne's gray)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 2-8)
·linseed oil or painting medium
·palette knife
·rags or paper towels
·odorless mineral spirits