View of Amalfi

This is a dramatic seascape with warm backlighting—the light source comes from the upper right, casting a golden-yellow atmospheric glow across the sky that gradually shifts to pale blue on the left. The eye is immediately drawn to the wrecked ship in the foreground with its tilted, angular masts silhouetted in dark brown-green, then travels up the cliff face to the sun-lit town of Amalfi with its clustered pale buildings, and finally out across the misty sea toward distant blue-gray mountains. Small figures gather on the dark rocky promontory, gazing at the wreck. The entire scene is enveloped in a hazy, moisture-laden atmosphere typical of Mediterranean coastal light.

Darkest values sit in the shipwreck hull and rigging, the deep shadowed cliff vegetation on the left, and the midtone-to-deep blue water. Lightest values appear in the sky (especially the yellow-cream glow on the right), the whitest building faces, and bright water reflections. When you squint, you see five distinct value zones: bright sky, medium-light buildings, medium cliff face, darker water, and the darkest wreck. The composition hinges on this separation—no value zone muddies into another.

• #dfeab6

  titanium white + yellow ochre (warm cream-yellow)

  The atmospheric glow dominating the upper right sky and reflecting on lit building faces and water

• #bacfde

  ultramarine blue + titanium white (pale sky blue)

  Upper left sky, shadows on building facades, cooler reflections in the water

• #3c524b

  ultramarine blue + burnt umber (deep blue-green shadow)

  The cliff vegetation, shipwreck hull, and darkest water tones

• #8c9f9c

  ultramarine blue + yellow ochre + titanium white (muted gray-blue)

  Midtone water, shadow sides of buildings, mist-laden mountain silhouettes

• #cad7d2

  titanium white + ultramarine blue + touch of yellow ochre (pale cool gray)

  Lit stone walls of buildings and lighter cliff face areas

• #d5e0c5

  titanium white + yellow ochre + touch of ultramarine (pale warm gray)

  Misty mountain slopes and atmospheric haze receding into distance

The foreground wreck has crisp, defined edges on the masts and hull—they read as solid, angular forms. By contrast, the distant mountains have almost no edge definition; they dissolve into the surrounding mist with soft, blurred transitions. The water is rendered with loose horizontal strokes that suggest ripples and reflection rather than detail; foreground rocks have more textural variation, while the distant sea becomes flat and glassy. The town buildings show a mix: sharp edges where light strikes directly, softer edges in shadow where they merge with cliff tone.

1. 01

   Establish the sky gradient and atmospheric tone

   Block in the entire sky with loose horizontal strokes, starting with pale blue on the left, shifting gradually to warm cream-yellow on the right. This is your light source and mood—get it right first. Don't blend it smooth; let subtle variation create the atmospheric depth. The transition should feel natural, as if you're watching light diffuse through moisture.

2. 02

   Rough in the major value masses

   Using broad strokes and the side of your brush, block in four simple shapes: the dark cliff-and-vegetation mass on the left, the medium-light town buildings as a cohesive cluster, the deep-toned water filling the middle and lower right, and the soft gray-blue mountain silhouette on the right horizon. Don't detail anything yet—you're creating the composition's skeleton. These masses should be clearly separated in value.

3. 03

   Define the rocky foreground and wrecked ship

   Using your darkest mix (ultramarine + burnt umber), paint the dark rocky promontory in the immediate foreground with firm, angular strokes. Then articulate the shipwreck: the tilted hull as a solid dark silhouette, and the masts as crisp, broken lines reaching upward at odd angles. Leave the rigging somewhat suggested rather than fully detailed—the drama comes from the tilt and silhouette, not labored line work.

4. 04

   Paint the town and its cliff setting

   Using pale gray and cream tones, suggest individual buildings as simple vertical rectangles clustered together. Don't paint every stone—the town reads from a distance as a unified architectural form catching light. Place deeper shadows (ultramarine + burnt umber) on the left side of the cliff to establish its volume. The towers and structures ascending the hillside should feel stacked, not separate. Keep edges soft except where direct sunlight hits the whitest facades.

5. 05

   Render the sea with reflected light and depth

   Paint the water in horizontal layers: darker deep blue in the mid-distance, lighter reflective tones closer to the wreck and foreground rocks. Use the pale yellow-cream and pale blue from your sky reflected in the water surface—this creates atmospheric cohesion. The water near the rocky foreground should show more texture and variation; the distant sea should flatten and become more uniform in tone, receding into haze.

6. 06

   Soften the mountains and atmospheric recession

   Using very pale gray-blue (white + touch of ultramarine + trace of yellow ochre), paint the background mountains with soft, blurred edges. They should feel distant and misty—barely more solid than sky. Avoid any hard lines. The goal is to create a sense of atmospheric haze that pushes these forms far back in space.

7. 07

   Place the figures and final dramatic accents

   Using dark brown-green (burnt umber + ultramarine), place small figures on the rocky promontory looking toward the wreck. These should be tiny, gestural marks—use the tip of a small round brush. Don't paint individual people; suggest the gathering as a cluster of warm and cool darks. Add a tiny distant sailing vessel on the horizon to reinforce depth.

8. 08

   Unify with atmospheric perspective and final touches

   Step back and assess. The foreground (wreck, rocks, figures) should have the most detail and warmth; the background should be cool, soft, and simple. Add final highlights of pure or near-pure titanium white to the brightest building edges and water reflections, using very light touches. Ensure the transition from foreground to background feels gradual, not abrupt. A final soft glaze of pale cream over the distant right sky can enhance the hazy, luminous quality.

• Overdetailing the town—it reads as a unified architectural mass from distance. Paint blocks of light and shadow, not individual windows or stonework.
• Making the water too uniform in color. The sea reflects both the warm sky (cream-yellow on top, pale blue lower) and contains deep cool tones in shadow. Vary it subtly.
• Losing atmospheric perspective by keeping the mountains as dark as the cliff. Mountains must be much lighter and softer, almost disappearing into haze.
• Rendering the shipwreck as a ship rather than a silhouette. The drama lies in its dark, broken shape against the bright water—don't paint internal detail or texture.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility