plate no. 3438

California Tower

Maurice Braun, 1915

oilImpressionismcityscapearchitecturelandscapeskybridgetreesriver

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and layering techniques to create depth and texture in the landscape and sky.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the tower, bridge, and landscape elements.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and pink hues, creating soft cloud shapes.
step 03
Establish the base colors for the buildings and bridge, focusing on warm whites and creams.
step 04
Layer in the landscape with greens, yellows, and browns, using broken brushstrokes to suggest foliage.
step 05
Add details to the tower and buildings, defining architectural features with darker values.
step 06
Paint the bridge supports, paying attention to the light and shadow on the cylindrical forms.
step 07
Refine the water with subtle reflections of the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green

Mix various shades of green by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt sienna. Achieve the warm whites of the buildings by mixing titanium white with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt sienna. Use alizarin crimson to create pink hues for the clouds.

techniques