plate no. 2096

Bleeker and Carmine Streets

George Luks, 1915

oil, canvasNew Realismgenre paintingcityscapestreetfiguresbuildingsnightstorefront

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict light and shadow in a nighttime scene and how to suggest figures with loose brushstrokes. It will also help develop skills in color mixing for creating atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of buildings and figures.
step 02
Establish the dark background using a mix of dark blues, browns, and blacks.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the buildings and storefronts with slightly lighter values.
step 04
Add the warm glow of the lights emanating from the windows and shops.
step 05
Paint the figures using quick, gestural brushstrokes, suggesting their forms rather than defining them precisely.
step 06
Refine the highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add details such as reflections on the wet street.
step 08
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to achieve the desired mood.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · sap green

Mix darks by combining ivory black, burnt umber, and ultramarine blue. Create warm light by mixing yellow ochre and titanium white, with touches of cadmium red light. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding a touch of blue to distant elements.

techniques

·alla prima
·scumbling
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·gestural brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
→Making the darks too uniform and lacking depth.
→Failing to capture the warm glow of the artificial light.
→Not simplifying the figures enough, leading to a cluttered composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 16x20
·ivory black oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·round brushes (#2, #6, #8)
·linseed oil

optional

·palette knife
·turpentine
·medium gloss

Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing and create a harmonious effect. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.

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