plate no. 0711

Cape Street Scene

Gregoire Boonzaier, 1941

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingsstreetcityscapeskyfiguresarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve muted tones and layering techniques to create depth and atmosphere. It's also a good exercise in perspective and simplifying complex architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, buildings, and street using thin washes.
step 03
Start building up layers of color on the buildings, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, balconies, and architectural features.
step 05
Paint the figures in the street with simple shapes and colors.
step 06
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the buildings and figures.
step 08
Let dry and add a varnish layer for protection.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · raw umber

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm tones of the buildings and street. Mix cerulean blue with white and a touch of yellow ochre for the sky.

techniques