plate no. 8643

Boulevard des Italiens, Paris

oilRomanticismlandscapetreesbuildingsfiguresstreet scenemarketsky

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective, rendering complex textures like foliage and cobblestones, and capturing the nuances of light and shadow in a busy scene. It also offers practice in depicting figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of buildings, trees, and the main figures.
step 02
Establish the sky and background with thin washes of color, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Block in the larger shapes of the buildings and trees, paying attention to their relative values.
step 04
Begin adding details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features.
step 05
Develop the foliage of the trees, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 06
Paint the figures in the foreground, focusing on their poses and interactions.
step 07
Add details to the market stalls and other elements of the street scene.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding highlights to create a sense of light and shadow.

color palette

primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · Prussian blue · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted greens by mixing yellow ochre with small amounts of Prussian blue and raw umber. Use white to lighten values and create highlights. Burnt sienna adds warmth to the earth tones.

techniques