plate no. 0641

SanMaria Formosa, Venice

Maurice Prendergast, 1912

pencil, watercolor, paperPost-Impressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingstowerwaterfiguresboats

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering watercolor washes and capturing complex scenes with simplified shapes and expressive brushwork. It's a good exercise in balancing detail and impressionistic representation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, tower, and boats, focusing on proportions and perspective.
step 02
Apply a light wash of blue for the sky, leaving some areas white for clouds.
step 03
Paint the buildings with diluted washes of ochre, burnt sienna, and umber, allowing colors to blend on the paper.
step 04
Add darker values to the buildings to create depth and shadow.
step 05
Paint the water with blues and greens, using horizontal strokes to suggest movement.
step 06
Add figures and details with small, quick brushstrokes, using a variety of colors.
step 07
Refine the details of the tower, paying attention to its architectural features.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · raw umber · sap green · cadmium red

Mix blues and browns for the water, ochre and sienna for the buildings, and use diluted washes for a transparent effect. Create grays by mixing complementary colors.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·color mixing
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the watercolor.
→Using too much water and creating muddy colors.
→Not planning the composition carefully and ending up with a cluttered scene.
→Being afraid to experiment with color and brushstrokes.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paints
·watercolor paper 140lb
·round brushes (sizes 4, 8, 12)
·palette
·water container
·paper towels
·pencil
·kneaded eraser

optional

·masking fluid
·rigger brush
·watercolor pencils

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for better color blending. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve a variety of effects.

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