Venice. The Grand Canal.

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · ivory black

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use thin washes for the sky and water, and thicker paint for the buildings.

techniques

• ·atmospheric perspective
• ·wet-on-wet blending
• ·broken color
• ·scumbling
• ·glazing

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details of the buildings.
• →Creating harsh lines instead of soft edges.
• →Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the water.
• →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the background too sharp.