plate no. 1335

Landscape of Granada

oilRomanticismlandscapelandscapebuildingsskyhillsvegetationarchitecture

some experience helpful

This painting provides practice in creating depth through atmospheric perspective and using loose brushwork to suggest detail. Students can learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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: sky, hills, buildings, and foreground.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the distant hills with muted blues and greens, using a lighter value.
step 04
Paint the buildings with off-white and light brown, indicating shadows.
step 05
Add the foreground with a mix of browns, greens, and grays, using broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Indicate vegetation with small dabs of green and brown.
step 07
Add details to the buildings and walls, keeping them loose and suggestive.
step 08
Refine the values and colors, paying attention to the overall harmony.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna

Mix muted greens by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of raw umber. Achieve the off-white tones by mixing titanium white with small amounts of raw umber and yellow ochre.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image.
→Using pure colors without mixing, resulting in an unnatural look.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the background appear too sharp.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x24 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt sienna)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife