plate no. 6124

Houses at St Ives, Cornwall

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)cityscapehousesbuildingscityscapechimneyswindowsstreet

suitable for beginners

This painting is great for practicing simplified perspective and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. Students can learn to capture the essence of a scene without precise realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the houses, focusing on their simplified forms and angles.
step 02
Block in the background color with a light blue or grey.
step 03
Apply the base colors for the houses (white, light grey, light brown), using slightly textured brushstrokes.
step 04
Add details like windows, doors, and chimneys with darker shades of grey and brown.
step 05
Outline the houses and details with a thin brush and dark grey or black paint to define the shapes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension, keeping the lighting simple.
step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches, such as texture or subtle color variations.
step 08
Allow to dry completely.

color palette

primary · titanium white · light blue · grey

secondary · burnt umber · raw sienna · black

Mix white with small amounts of blue and grey to create the various shades for the sky and houses. Use burnt umber and raw sienna to create the brown tones for the roofs and details.

techniques

·dry brushing
·simplified perspective
·scumbling
·layering
·outlining

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the perspective and details.
→Using too many colors and losing the simplicity of the palette.
→Making the brushstrokes too smooth and losing the textured effect.
→Not simplifying the forms of the houses enough.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic or oil paints (titanium white, light blue, grey, burnt umber, raw sienna, black)
·assorted brushes (small round, medium flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil or acrylic medium
·rags
·jar for cleaning brushes