plate no. 9968
Santorini
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex forms into geometric shapes and understanding subtle value shifts to create depth. It also provides practice in creating a cohesive color palette with limited hues.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition of the buildings and hillside.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light gray-blue.
- step 03
Establish the main value areas on the buildings using a mid-tone gray.
- step 04
Add darker values to indicate shadows and recesses in the architecture.
- step 05
Introduce warmer tones to the hillside and foreground, varying the browns and tans.
- step 06
Refine the shapes of the buildings, paying attention to the angles and edges.
- step 07
Add subtle highlights to the sunlit areas of the buildings.
- step 08
Blend edges and adjust values to create a harmonious and unified painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Mix various shades of gray by combining white, raw umber, and a touch of blue. Achieve warmer tones by adding yellow ochre or burnt sienna to the gray mixture.
techniques
- ·blocking
- ·value studies
- ·limited palette
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking details in the buildings.
- →Creating too much contrast, losing the subtle atmosphere.
- →Using pure white, instead of mixing a light gray.
- →Ignoring the underlying geometric structure of the forms.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes size 4 and 8
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-grit canvas for a slightly textured surface. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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