View of the canal and the church of San Marco in Milan

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · raw umber · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix various shades of brown and gray for the buildings by combining raw umber, burnt sienna, and ivory black. Use cerulean blue and white to create the sky and water, adding small amounts of other colors to adjust the hue and value.

techniques

• ·linear perspective
• ·atmospheric perspective
• ·glazing
• ·rendering reflections
• ·scumbling

common pitfalls

• →Incorrect perspective leading to distorted buildings.
• →Overworking the details too early in the process.
• →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
• →Making the reflections too bright or too dark.