plate no. 8623
Street of Bari
Odoardo Borrani, 1862
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering form with subtle value changes and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also offers practice in depicting figures and animals in a believable setting.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the archway, buildings, and figure placement.
- step 02
Establish the main light and shadow areas with a thin wash of burnt umber.
- step 03
Block in the local colors of the buildings and ground, focusing on the overall tone.
- step 04
Add details to the figures, paying attention to their proportions and clothing.
- step 05
Refine the shadows and highlights to create depth and form.
- step 06
Add texture to the walls and ground with dry brush techniques.
- step 07
Paint the details of the dog and the small tree on the left.
- step 08
Adjust the overall color harmony and add final details.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · ivory black
Achieve the earthy tones by mixing burnt sienna and raw umber with white. Use small amounts of yellow ochre and sap green to create subtle variations in the walls and foliage.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value gradation
- ·blocking in
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Creating too much contrast, losing the subtle value changes.
- →Making the figures too stiff or unnatural.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and flattening the image.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes 2, 4, 6
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a canvas with a medium texture to help with the dry brush technique. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
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