plate no. 8740

View of Amalfi from the Gulf of Salerno

oil, canvasRomanticismmarinaseaboatsbuildingsmountainsskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering complex architectural details in a landscape setting. It also provides practice in depicting figures in boats and creating a sense of depth through tonal variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the mountains, coastline, and major buildings.
step 02
Establish the sky and sea with broad, blended washes, creating a gradient from light to dark.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the mountains and cliffs, using a range of earth tones.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, using a small brush to define windows, roofs, and other architectural elements.
step 05
Paint the boats and figures in the foreground, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 06
Refine the details of the water, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of movement.
step 07
Add final touches, such as small details on the mountains and boats, and adjust the overall color balance.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and enhance the atmospheric perspective.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light · ivory black

Achieve the atmospheric perspective by mixing blues and whites with small amounts of umber. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna to create the warm tones of the buildings and cliffs. Mix greens by combining blues and yellows with umber.

techniques