plate no. 7269

Interior of saint Mary's church at Maranola

Antonio Sicurezza, 1966

oilPost-Impressionisminteriorinteriorchurchcrossarchitecturearchesbench

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve muted tones and practice creating depth through atmospheric perspective. Students will also learn how to simplify complex architectural forms using basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the arches, cross, and benches, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes of color, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Mix a range of muted tones for the walls and floor, using subtle variations in color temperature.
step 04
Apply thicker paint to the cross and benches, adding details and texture with visible brushstrokes.
step 05
Create the white cloth draped over the cross, focusing on the folds and shadows.
step 06
Refine the details of the arches and columns, adding subtle highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add the dark accents of the doorway and the figures in the background.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., blue and orange, yellow and purple) with white. Use raw umber as a base for many of the darker tones.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·simplified forms
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Ignoring the subtle shifts in color temperature.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·mineral spirits
·rags