plate no. 2248

Aldeia de Saint-Sauves

oilRealismcityscapevillagebuildingsfiguresskychurchstreet

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the texture of various surfaces with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into manageable shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the church, buildings, and road, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the vanishing point(s) to guide perspective.
step 03
Block in the sky with light blues and creams, blending softly to create cloud formations.
step 04
Lay in the base colors for the buildings, road, and foliage, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and roof tiles, using darker values to create depth.
step 06
Paint the figures with simple shapes and values, suggesting their forms without over-defining them.
step 07
Refine the textures of the road and foliage with short, broken brushstrokes, varying the colors and values to create interest.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of light and atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · raw sienna · ivory black

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining burnt umber, yellow ochre, and ultramarine blue with white. Use cadmium red to add warmth to the roof tiles and other details.

techniques

·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·alla prima
·value studies

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.
→Using colors that are too saturated, which can detract from the naturalistic feel.
→Ignoring the principles of perspective, which can make the painting look distorted.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, ultramarine blue, cadmium red)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags