Step oneThe sky was painted in Ultramarine Blue, leaving gaps for the clouds. The château was blocked in with a very diluted Yellow Ochre with a touch of Permanent Rose. While this was still wet, a blue/grey mixed from Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna was added in places and spread down into the shady area to the left of the château. Touches of this grey were added to the clouds.
Step two The rooftops were blocked in with Burnt Sienna, leaving the chimneys. When this was dry, most ofthe buildings and the chimneys were filled in with the diluted Yellow Ochre, leaving the windows and doorways blank. Some of the buildings were left white.
Step threeThe trees and foliage were washed over first with Sap Green mixed with Yellow Ochre and then further defined with the green mixed with varying amounts of Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine. Some of this darker colour was dropped in while the initial wash was still wet. Some was added wet on dry.
Step fourThe windows were painted with a dark mixture of Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna, leaving the frames white. Some of the sky colour, diluted more, was added to the shutters of the building to the right of the château. Brown mixtures of Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine and a bit of Permanent Rose in places, were used for the other shutters and the doors. The same dark used for the windows was painted carefully under the eaves and some of the stonework.
Step fiveDarker brown was painted on the rooftops to suggest the tiles with some darker Burnt Sienna and some Permanent Rose added in places. More blue/grey was painted on to the château and more Yellow Ochre and very pale Permanent Rose dropped in while this was still wet. The wall and steps to the left of the château were darkened and the steps more defined.
Step sixFinally the shadows were put in with a paler blue/brown mixture, bring the whole picture to life and allowing the buildings to take proper shape. A little more work was done on the buildings, the foliage and the clouds. Some distant trees were added behind the buildings in a greyer green to balance the foliage in the foreground.
The finished paintingWe are left with a lovely, sunlit interpretation of the scene and the use of a palette limited to five colours brings an overall harmony to the painting.
