plate no. 1173

Kerkyra, The Old Fortress

Konstantinos Parthenis, 1930

oil, canvas, panelExpressionismlandscapefortresswaterskybuildingstreesreflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and using color temperature to create depth. It also provides practice in capturing reflections in water using broken color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the fortress, land, and water.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the main color masses of the fortress and land, focusing on warm and cool tones.
step 04
Paint the water with horizontal strokes, capturing the reflections with slightly darker and desaturated versions of the colors above.
step 05
Add details to the fortress, such as windows and architectural features, using small brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the foliage with varied greens and browns, using broken color to create texture.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create depth and harmony.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to enhance the overall impression.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · raw sienna

Mix various shades of gray and brown by combining burnt umber, yellow ochre, and ultramarine blue. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights. Mix greens by combining blue and yellow.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·color temperature
·simplification of form
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
→Creating mud by overmixing colors.
→Ignoring the color temperature and creating a flat, uninteresting painting.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in the water reflections.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·titanium white oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·#4 round brush
·#6 flat brush
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·painting medium

Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for better paint adhesion and brushstroke visibility. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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