View of Yalta

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a white or light-toned ground to facilitate the layering of transparent glazes. While specific preparation for this exact canvas is not detailed in the sources, the method described in Source 1 implies a dry, stable surface is required before glazing begins. Aivazovsky’s practice, consistent with 19th-century academic training, likely involved a standard oil ground.

underdrawing

Aivazovsky’s preparatory sketches are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, given his academic background at the Imperial Academy of Arts (Source 4), a loose charcoal or thinned oil sketch to establish the horizon line, major landforms of Yalta, and the placement of light sources is recommended. The focus should be on capturing the 'modifications of the light' rather than rigid linear details (Source 2).

underpainting

The underpainting should be executed as a grisaille (monochrome) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This layer establishes the tonal values and composition without color. The artist should mentally extract red and yellow tones, focusing on the structural light and shadow as if those colors were absent (Source 1). This monochrome base must be completely dry before proceeding.

Glazing and Scumbling

A method where a monochrome underpainting is overlaid with transparent (glaze) and semi-opaque (scumble) layers of color. This was a common practice among old masters and allows for deep, luminous colors without muddying the paint.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors influence each other’s appearance. The painter must account for this to accurately perceive and mix colors, especially in the sky and water where hues are subtle and shifting.

Chiaroscuro

Using the juxtaposition of light and dark tones to create a sense of volume and depth. The gradation of light at the boundaries of different tones enhances the realism of the landscape.