plate no. 0245

Gossip in Venice

Alessandro Milesi, 1890

oil, canvasRealismgenre paintingfiguresmarketstreet scenearchitecturechildrenbaskets

study guide

est. 30 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a rough sketch to establish the composition and placement of figures and key elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors using thin washes of paint.
step 03
Develop the background elements, focusing on the architecture and market stall.
step 04
Begin refining the figures, paying attention to proportions and anatomy.
step 05
Layer in details of the clothing and drapery, using highlights and shadows to create form.
step 06
Add details to the faces, capturing the expressions and features of the figures.
step 07
Refine the foreground elements, including the baskets and ground texture.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall depth and realism.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · viridian green

Achieve the warm, earthy tones by mixing burnt umber and raw sienna with white. Use small amounts of cadmium red and yellow ochre to create the flesh tones. Mix ultramarine blue and viridian green for cooler shadows and foliage.

techniques

·layered glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·broken color
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early
→Incorrect proportions of figures
→Muddy color mixing
→Ignoring the overall value structure
→Losing the atmospheric perspective

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 24x36
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, viridian green)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags