plate no. 8696
View of Fuenterrabía
Luis Paret y Alcazar, 1786
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering figures in a landscape setting. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through layering and color variation.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the town, river, and figures.
- step 02
Establish the sky with a light, blended wash of color.
- step 03
Block in the large shapes of the landscape, using a thin wash of earth tones.
- step 04
Add details to the town in the distance, paying attention to perspective.
- step 05
Develop the foreground with more detail, including the figures and trees.
- step 06
Refine the values and colors, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 07
Add final details, such as the reflections in the water and the texture of the foliage.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and adjust colors.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth colors with white and small amounts of blue or red. Use glazes of thinned color to create subtle variations.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early
- →Creating too much contrast in the distance
- →Failing to establish a clear focal point
- →Using colors that are too saturated
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic gesso
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retouch varnish
- ·medium (Liquin)
A toned canvas (e.g., with a thin wash of raw umber) can be helpful for establishing the initial values.
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