plate no. 8422

Seaside Houses

Nicolae Darascu, 1933

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapehouseslandscapetreesskyvillagesea

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose watercolor washes and layering colors to create depth and form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the houses, hills, and trees, focusing on composition.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and raw sienna to the areas that will be the lightest.
step 03
Add a light blue wash to the sky and sea areas.
step 04
Begin layering in the darker tones of the houses with burnt sienna, raw umber, and touches of red.
step 05
Paint the trees using a mix of greens, blues, and yellows, using loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details to the houses, such as windows and shadows, using a smaller brush.
step 07
Refine the foreground with darker values to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · sap green · cadmium red

Mix burnt sienna and ultramarine blue for shadows. Use yellow ochre and sap green for foliage. Add a touch of red to the browns for warmth in the buildings.

techniques