plate no. 1258

A Quebec Village Street, Winter

Clarence Gagnon, 1920

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingssnowfigurestreesskyhorse

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in light and shadow, and practice creating texture with visible brushstrokes, especially in the snow and trees.

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 buildings, figures, and landscape, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color: sky, buildings, snow, and trees.
step 03
Develop the sky with layers of blue and white, blending for a soft effect.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, including windows, doors, and rooflines, using a variety of colors to represent light and shadow.
step 05
Create the snow texture using short, broken brushstrokes and varying shades of white, blue, and gray.
step 06
Paint the figures and horse, paying attention to their proportions and placement within the scene.
step 07
Add the bare trees with thin, delicate brushstrokes, varying the color to show depth.
step 08
Refine the details and add highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw sienna

Mix various shades of white with small amounts of blue, yellow, and brown to create the subtle colors of the snow. Use red and brown to create the roof colors, and mix greens and yellows for the doors and window frames.

techniques