plate no. 6831

The Cathedral of Capri

watercolor, paperRomanticismcityscapepalm treebuildingscityscapeskyvegetationmountains

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering watercolor washes to build depth and creating texture with dry brush techniques. It also provides practice in accurately depicting architectural details and organic forms like trees.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the palm tree, buildings, and mountain outlines.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted blue for the sky, leaving some areas lighter for clouds.
step 03
Paint the distant mountains with a diluted mix of blues and browns, focusing on creating a soft, hazy effect.
step 04
Begin layering washes on the buildings, starting with light ochre and gradually adding darker tones for shadows and details.
step 05
Paint the palm tree trunk with a mix of browns and grays, using dry brush strokes to create texture.
step 06
Add the palm fronds using various shades of green, paying attention to their direction and overlapping.
step 07
Paint the foreground vegetation with a mix of greens and browns, adding details like leaves and branches.
step 08
Add final details such as windows, architectural elements, and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · sap green · cadmium red · raw sienna

Mix cerulean blue with a touch of burnt umber for the sky and distant mountains. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the buildings, adding touches of cadmium red for the windows. Mix sap green with yellow ochre for the vegetation.

techniques