plate no. 0665

Baltic townscape

oilSymbolismcityscapebuildingsstreettownarchitectureskyroofs

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for atmospheric effects, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.

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 and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Block in the sky and the general color areas of the buildings and ground with thin washes.
step 03
Start building up the darker values, focusing on the shadows and details of the buildings on the left.
step 04
Add the red roofs, paying attention to the variations in color and texture.
step 05
Define the street with varying tones of gray and brown, suggesting the texture of the cobblestones.
step 06
Add details like windows, doors, and architectural features, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · payne's gray

Mix blues and browns with white for the sky and building facades. Use red and brown combinations for the roofs. Achieve grays by mixing complementary colors.

techniques