Interior with View of the Ocean

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · ivory black

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red · titanium white

Mix various shades of blue for the sky and ocean, using white to lighten and black to darken. Achieve the yellow of the table by mixing yellow ochre with a touch of white. Create the dark interior walls by mixing black with ultramarine blue and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

• ·blocking in
• ·expressive brushstrokes
• ·color mixing
• ·simplification
• ·scumbling

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
• →Failing to establish a strong value contrast between light and shadow.
• →Getting bogged down in trying to replicate the scene exactly instead of capturing its essence.
• →Not simplifying the forms enough, resulting in a cluttered and confusing composition.