plate no. 8592
Genoese shipping
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering transparent washes and creating atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting complex subjects with simplified forms and loose brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the ships, buildings, and water.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted blue and grey for the sky, allowing it to dry.
- step 03
Paint the distant buildings with a very diluted wash of pale pinks, yellows, and greys.
- step 04
Begin layering washes of brown, green, and grey for the ships' hulls, gradually building up darker values.
- step 05
Add details to the masts and rigging with thin lines of brown and yellow.
- step 06
Paint the water with horizontal washes of blue, grey, and purple, suggesting reflections.
- step 07
Add small details like figures in the boats and highlights on the water.
- step 08
Let dry completely and add final details.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · raw sienna
secondary · sap green · alizarin crimson · cadmium yellow
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use plenty of water to create transparent washes. Mix browns and grays from the primary colors.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·layering washes
- ·dry brush texture
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Not allowing washes to dry completely before layering.
- →Making the sky too dark and overpowering the rest of the painting.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paper 140lb
- ·watercolor paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 10)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·masking tape
- ·sketching pencil
- ·kneaded eraser
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·watercolor pencils
- ·gouache
Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying levels of detail.
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