plate no. 6691

Bucharest Landscape

Lucian Grigorescu, 1940

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingstowersskytreesfigures

some experience helpful

This painting offers a chance to practice impressionistic brushwork and capturing the essence of a scene with simplified forms and color variations. Students can learn to create depth and atmosphere using loose brushstrokes and color temperature.

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 towers, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue and white, leaving some areas of the canvas bare.
step 03
Establish the main color masses of the buildings using a limited palette of yellows, oranges, and browns.
step 04
Add darker tones to suggest shadows and create depth, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 05
Introduce touches of green for the trees and foliage, varying the shades to create visual interest.
step 06
Use short, broken brushstrokes to define the details of the buildings and add texture to the scene.
step 07
Add small figures in the foreground to give a sense of scale and activity.
step 08
Refine the overall composition by adjusting the colors and values as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · cadmium orange

Mix various shades of yellow and brown by combining yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white. Create greens by mixing blue and yellow, and adjust the intensity with white or brown.

techniques