plate no. 1914
Sardinero beach, Santander, Spain
Rubén de Luis, 2022
some experience helpful
This painting is great for practicing layering colors and creating the illusion of depth through atmospheric perspective. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes and capture the essence of a landscape with loose brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, dividing the canvas into sky, land, and sea.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, adding white for clouds.
- step 03
Paint the distant hills with muted greens and blues.
- step 04
Establish the basic color of the sea with turquoise and white, adding darker blues for depth.
- step 05
Lay down the base color for the sand using a mix of yellow ochre and white.
- step 06
Add reflections in the wet sand with light blue and touches of yellow ochre.
- step 07
Paint the figures with simple shapes and colors, focusing on their silhouettes.
- step 08
Add final details like highlights on the waves and subtle variations in the sand.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · viridian green · burnt sienna
Mix different blues and white for the sky and sea. Use yellow ochre and white for the sand, adding small amounts of burnt sienna for warmer tones. Mix greens with blue and yellow ochre for the hills.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·alla prima
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the atmospheric haze.
- →Failing to establish a clear sense of depth.
- →Making the figures too detailed and distracting from the overall scene.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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