plate no. 7512

Venice

Corneliu Baba, 1957

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingscityscapearchitectureskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint to create depth and using expressive brushstrokes to convey texture and form. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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 buildings, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of diluted paint, indicating light and shadow.
step 03
Begin blocking in the main colors of the buildings, starting with the dominant red and off-white tones.
step 04
Add darker values to define the shadows and architectural details, such as windows and doorways.
step 05
Introduce secondary colors like blues and greens to create subtle variations and depth.
step 06
Use thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes to add texture and detail to the building surfaces.
step 07
Refine the details of the figures in the foreground, keeping them loose and suggestive.
step 08
Add final highlights and touches of color to enhance the overall impression of light and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · red · white · brown

secondary · blue · green · yellow

Achieve the various red tones by mixing red with brown, white, and small amounts of blue or green. Create the off-white tones by mixing white with small amounts of yellow, brown, and gray.

techniques

·dry brush
·layering
·scumbling
·alla prima
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive brushwork.
→Creating flat, lifeless colors without subtle variations.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting bogged down in precise representation instead of capturing the overall impression.