plate no. 3141

Piazza San Marco

Filippo De Pisis, 1940

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscapearchitecturebuildingfiguresskyplaza

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing the essence of a scene with minimal detail. It also encourages simplification of complex forms and understanding of atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main architectural shapes and the tower, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of grey and white, leaving some areas of the canvas bare.
step 03
Establish the basic values of the buildings with a mix of white, grey, and ochre, using loose, visible brushstrokes.
step 04
Add darker accents to define the architectural details and create depth.
step 05
Paint the tower with a mix of ochre, white, and a touch of brown, using vertical strokes to suggest its height.
step 06
Indicate the figures in the foreground with quick, gestural marks of black, grey, and white.
step 07
Add small details like the domes and windows with a fine brush, using a limited palette.
step 08
Review the overall composition and add any final touches to balance the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · ivory black · burnt sienna

Achieve the various grey tones by mixing white with small amounts of black and umber. Use ochre and white to create the warm tones of the buildings and tower. A touch of burnt sienna can add warmth to the shadows.

techniques

·expressive brushwork
·alla prima
·scumbling
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the spontaneity of the original.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones.
→Failing to simplify the forms and getting bogged down in unnecessary details.
→Not establishing a clear value structure, leading to a flat and unconvincing image.