plate no. 6650

View Of The Church Of Maria Dei Miracoli And Santa Maria Nova in Venice

oil, canvasRealismcityscapearchitecturechurchbuildingsbridgefigurescityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, color mixing for architectural details, and creating a sense of depth in a cityscape. It also provides practice in rendering textures of aged buildings and stone.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and bridge.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue, adding subtle variations for clouds.
step 03
Establish the basic color tones for the buildings, bridge, and ground, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Start building up the architectural details of the church and surrounding buildings, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Add the details of the bridge, including the texture and color variations of the stone.
step 06
Paint in the figures, keeping them simple and in proportion to the buildings.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · ivory black

Mix various shades of gray and beige by combining white, umber, and ochre. Use burnt sienna and cadmium red for the brick accents and window details. Mix cerulean blue with white for the sky.

techniques

·linear perspective
·atmospheric perspective
·dry brushing
·glazing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Incorrect perspective can ruin the sense of depth and realism.
→Overworking the details can make the painting look stiff and unnatural.
→Using too much pure white can make the painting look flat.
→Neglecting the subtle color variations in the buildings can make them look monotonous.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, yellow ochre, cerulean blue, burnt sienna, cadmium red light, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes #2, #4, #6)
·palette
·palette knife