Following the local exhibition of Piranesi prints I thought I’d see if I could tackle the style in oils. This attempt is based on Plate XI Central Hanging Lantern (second state) if that helps.
I was hoping to use a larger canvas, but only had a 30x23cm in stock. I’ll consider it a prototype.
Firstly the image is drawn with pencil, there are so many angles and perspectives it needs to be done carefully. It would be easy to get a key line wrong and the whole thing then look ‘off’. Despite taking seemingly ages I’m still not totally sure I’ve got it totally right as it is. The background is done with a watered down acrylic dull olive green (yellow ochre and ultramarine) allowing the pencil drawing to show through enough. Then using a very thinned (turps & linseed oil at 5:1) and burnt umber the lines and shading are painted in. Once a layer dries a new layer can be applied to deepen the shade, it’s rather like using watercolours. I’m hoping that by layering in shade I should be able to produce the detail and differentiation required. All in one colour, again showing that tone is more important than colour. If this all works I’ll try the same on a larger canvas and perhaps start designing my own fantasy architecture and try other colours.
I’ll update as the painting progresses.