plate no. 9015

La capilla de San Marcos

Marie-Thérèse Auffray, 1932

paintExpressionismlandscapechurchlandscapeskygrasscrossarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and using visible brushstrokes to convey form and light. It also provides practice in depicting architectural details and landscape elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the church, cross, and landscape, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, gradually adding subtle variations in tone.
step 03
Establish the main colors of the grass, using a base of green and adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the church, using a mix of browns, grays, and creams to create the stone texture.
step 05
Paint the roof with dark blues and grays, adding highlights to suggest the texture of the tiles.
step 06
Add details to the windows and doors of the church, using darker tones to create depth.
step 07
Paint the cross with dark brown, adding highlights to suggest the form.
step 08
Refine the details of the landscape, adding rocks, bushes, and other elements to create depth and interest.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · payne's gray

Mix various shades of green by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the stone texture by layering different shades of brown, gray, and cream.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·layering
·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, which can result in a muddy appearance.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast, which can make the painting look flat.
→Getting lost in the details and forgetting the overall composition.
→Not allowing each layer of paint to dry slightly before applying the next.