plate no. 4012
Piazza del Carmine
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and using a limited color palette to create a cohesive atmosphere. It also provides practice in creating subtle value changes to suggest depth and form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, wall, and tree, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
- step 02
Establish the horizon line and the perspective of the wall.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, the wall, the ground, and the buildings, using thinned paint.
- step 04
Begin adding darker values to define the shadows on the buildings and wall.
- step 05
Mix and apply the various shades of green for the tree, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Add details to the door and the rooftops.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the shapes and blend the colors to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · payne's gray
secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna
Mix raw umber and white for the walls and buildings, adding small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth. Use payne's gray and white for the sky and ground, and mix greens from sap green, yellow ochre, and raw umber.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·color mixing
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the shapes.
- →Using too much color and creating a jarring effect.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth through value changes.
- →Not simplifying the complex forms of the buildings.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·payne's gray oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Thin the oil paints with linseed oil for smoother blending and glazing.
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