plate no. 1316

Belgrave Square and Wilton Crescent

Harry Phelan Gibb, 1928

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstreettreescarsfence

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in tonal value painting and capturing architectural forms with loose, expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating depth and perspective using varying levels of detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street, focusing on perspective lines.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the painting with a diluted wash of the darker brown.
step 03
Add mid-tones to the buildings and street, gradually building up the values.
step 04
Use thicker, more concentrated paint for the details of the buildings, trees, and cars.
step 05
Create texture in the buildings by using dry brush strokes.
step 06
Add the fence in the foreground with bold, dark strokes.
step 07
Soften some edges with a clean, damp brush to create atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.