plate no. 9228

Outside St Mark's Basilica

oil, canvasRealismgenre paintingchildrenpigeonsarchitecturefiguresstonebasket

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures in a realistic style and capturing the subtle variations in light and shadow on stone textures. It also provides practice in depicting complex compositions with multiple subjects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures and architectural elements.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and colors, focusing on the overall value structure of the painting.
step 03
Develop the background architectural details, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and texture.
step 04
Refine the figures, adding details to their clothing and facial features.
step 05
Paint the pigeons, capturing their movement and form with loose brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and make any necessary adjustments to the composition.
step 08
Add final details and glazes to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth tones with white and small amounts of secondary colors. Use glazes of thinned paint to create depth and luminosity.

techniques

·underpainting
·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, titanium white, cadmium red, viridian, yellow ochre)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife