plate no. 4486

A street in Bruges

Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, 1910

watercolor, paperSymbolismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstreetfigurecobblestonesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, color mixing to create muted tones, and rendering textures like brick and cobblestone. It also provides practice in depicting atmospheric perspective to create depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing point(s).
step 03
Block in the sky with a diluted wash of gray and yellow ochre.
step 04
Apply a base layer of color to the buildings, using a mix of browns, grays, and whites.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and brickwork.
step 06
Paint the cobblestone street, varying the colors and values of the stones to create texture.
step 07
Add the figure in the foreground, using a simple shape and muted colors.
step 08
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.