plate no. 6934

Balchik Hills

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingshillsskytreesfigurevillage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using color temperature to create depth. It also provides practice in rendering textures with visible brushstrokes.

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 hills, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue, allowing some of the canvas to show through.
step 03
Establish the main color masses for the hills using ochre, burnt sienna, and white, varying the mixtures to create subtle tonal shifts.
step 04
Paint the larger building in the foreground with a base of yellow ochre, adding shadows with burnt umber and highlights with white.
step 05
Add the roofs using a mix of red, burnt sienna, and a touch of black, varying the colors to suggest texture.
step 06
Paint the smaller buildings in the background with simplified shapes and colors, using cooler tones to push them back in space.
step 07
Add the trees and foliage with a mix of greens, browns, and blacks, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 08
Add the figure and final details, such as windows and doors, using a small brush.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · raw umber

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm earth tones. Add white to lighten and cool the colors. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky. Mix cadmium red and burnt sienna for the roof tiles.

techniques