plate no. 5912

May Morning on Magdalen College Tower, Oxford

oil, canvasRomanticismgenre paintingfiguresarchitectureskycloudsflowersbirds

experienced study

Recreating this painting would help students develop skills in rendering complex figures and drapery, as well as capturing atmospheric perspective and subtle color variations in the sky. It would also improve their understanding of composition in a busy scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main architectural structures and the general placement of the figures.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes, focusing on the gradient from blue to pink and the shapes of the clouds.
step 03
Establish the basic values and colors of the architectural elements, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Roughly sketch in the figures, focusing on their poses and proportions.
step 05
Start building up the details of the figures, working from the background to the foreground.
step 06
Refine the drapery, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 07
Add details to the faces, focusing on capturing the expressions of the figures.
step 08
Finish with the foreground details, such as the flowers and any other small elements.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red · viridian

Achieve the sky colors by mixing ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson with varying amounts of titanium white. Use yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white to create the stone colors of the architecture. Mix greens for the foliage using viridian and yellow ochre.

techniques

·figure drawing
·drapery rendering
·atmospheric perspective
·color mixing
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early without establishing the overall composition and values.
→Failing to capture the correct proportions of the figures.
→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the painting.
→Inconsistent brushstrokes

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red, viridian)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags