plate no. 2462

A Suburb in Stockholm

oilExpressionismlandscapesnowbuildingstreesfigurelandscapewinter

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict a snowy landscape and how to create depth using atmospheric perspective. Students will also practice painting bare trees and simple figures in a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the placement of buildings, trees, and the figure.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the buildings and the road with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the sky color and the overall tone of the snow-covered ground.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and rooflines, using darker and lighter values.
step 05
Paint the bare trees, focusing on their branching patterns and the shadows they cast on the snow.
step 06
Define the figure in the foreground, paying attention to its proportions and the way it interacts with the snow.
step 07
Add highlights to the snow to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine the details and add any final touches to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix white with small amounts of blue and sienna to create the various shades of snow. Use red and yellow to create the building colors, and mix blue and black for the sky.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·atmospheric perspective
·color mixing
·blocking in
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the snow and losing the sense of light and shadow.
→Making the buildings too detailed and distracting from the overall composition.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the landscape.
→Not varying the color temperature of the snow to create interest.
→Making the trees too uniform.