plate no. 9704

Poggio Imperiale Square

oil, canvasRealismcityscapetreesstatuesparkfiguresskyarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice atmospheric perspective and learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also offers a good exercise in capturing the essence of a scene with loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition: horizon line, placement of statues, and tree masses.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of greyish-blue.
step 03
Establish the basic color and value of the grass, using a mix of greens and browns.
step 04
Paint the distant trees and buildings with muted colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Add the darker greens and browns for the trees in the foreground, using visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the statues and architectural elements with light, warm tones, paying attention to their form.
step 07
Add the figures with simple shapes and colors.
step 08
Refine details and add highlights to create depth and interest.

color palette

primary · viridian green · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Mix greens by combining viridian green, yellow ochre, and raw umber. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding white and a touch of blue to colors for distant objects.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·broken color
·scumbling
·alla prima
·implied detail

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the loose and impressionistic feel.
→Making the colors too saturated, especially in the background.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the background too sharp.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.