plate no. 7166

Abbeville, Street and the Church of Saint-Vulfran

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapechurchbuildingsfiguresstreetsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the essence of a scene with loose, expressive brushstrokes. It also encourages simplifying complex architectural details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the church, focusing on perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue and white, leaving some areas for clouds.
step 03
Establish the main value ranges for the buildings, using a mix of grays, browns, and ochres.
step 04
Add the darker values to the church and buildings to create depth and form.
step 05
Paint the street with a mix of grays and browns, suggesting the texture of the cobblestones.
step 06
Add the figures and details in the foreground, using small, quick brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the church and buildings, adding highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · ivory black

Achieve the various grays by mixing ultramarine blue, raw umber, and white. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna to create warm tones for the buildings. Add small amounts of cadmium red to warm up the browns.

techniques