plate no. 9319

The flaying in Livorno

oil, cardboardImpressionismlandscapebuildingskylandscapefieldarchitecturehouse

some experience helpful

This painting offers a great opportunity to practice simplifying a scene into basic shapes and color blocks. Students can learn to create atmospheric perspective and suggest details with minimal brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the building and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of blue and gray.
step 03
Apply a base layer of warm brown to the ground area.
step 04
Mix a lighter, desaturated beige for the building's main color and apply it, leaving some areas darker for shadows.
step 05
Add darker brown tones to the base of the building and the foreground to create depth.
step 06
Use short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture in the ground and on the building's surface.
step 07
Add subtle highlights to the building and ground to indicate light direction.
step 08
Refine the details of the building's windows and edges with a small brush.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix the sky color by combining cerulean blue, titanium white, and a touch of raw umber. The building color is achieved by mixing titanium white, raw umber, and a small amount of yellow ochre.

techniques