plate no. 2147

San Cristoforo, San Michele and Murano, Seen from the Fondamenta Nuove

oil, canvasBaroquemarinaskywaterboatscityscapebuildingsclouds

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the subtle reflections in water. It also provides practice in painting distant architectural details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the horizon line and the basic shapes of the islands and buildings.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, blending the colors softly.
step 03
Establish the water surface with horizontal strokes, using darker blues and grays near the foreground.
step 04
Paint the distant cityscape, simplifying the architectural details and using muted colors.
step 05
Add the boats, paying attention to their reflections in the water.
step 06
Refine the clouds, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Add final details to the buildings and boats, using small brushes.
step 08
Glaze the water with thin layers of color to enhance the reflections.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Titanium white · Burnt umber

secondary · Yellow ochre · Raw sienna · Payne's gray

Mix blues and whites for the sky, adding a touch of umber for the darker areas. Use umber and sienna for the buildings, and mix blues and umber for the water.

techniques

·Atmospheric perspective
·Wet-on-wet blending
·Scumbling
·Glazing
·Reflections

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the distant cityscape.
→Making the colors too saturated.
→Failing to capture the subtle gradations in the sky.
→Ignoring the reflections in the water.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Titanium white, Burnt umber, Yellow ochre, Raw sienna, Payne's gray)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil