plate no. 6052

View of the Tiburtine Gate of the Aurelian Wall in Rome

oil, paper, cardboardRomanticismcityscapearchitecturewalltowerskyvegetationcityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering the texture of aged brick and stone. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the towers and walls, paying attention to their proportions and placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and then moving to the walls and ground.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the walls and towers, using darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
step 04
Add details to the walls and towers, such as the crenellations, windows, and vegetation.
step 05
Refine the colors and values, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 06
Add the final details, such as the texture of the brick and stone, and the small plants growing on the walls.
step 07
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and create depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of realism.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · sap green

Achieve the aged brick color by mixing burnt umber and raw sienna with small amounts of yellow ochre and titanium white. Create the sky by mixing titanium white with a touch of ultramarine blue.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·glazing
·atmospheric perspective
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in tone.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, sap green)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·rags