plate no. 8875
Church of Elijah the ordinary in Moscow
Aleksey Savrasov, 1882
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting nighttime scenes, understanding atmospheric perspective, and working with a limited color palette to create mood.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the horizon line, paying attention to perspective.
- step 02
Establish the dark background with a mix of blues, browns, and blacks.
- step 03
Block in the general shapes of the buildings with lighter values, leaving areas for windows.
- step 04
Add the snow-covered ground, varying the blues and whites to create depth.
- step 05
Define the details of the buildings, such as windows, roofs, and architectural features.
- step 06
Add highlights to the snow and buildings to create a sense of light and shadow.
- step 07
Introduce warm tones in the windows to suggest interior light.
- step 08
Refine the brushwork and add final details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red
Mix blues and browns to create the dark background. Add white to these mixtures to create lighter values for the buildings and snow. Use yellow ochre and cadmium red sparingly to create warm highlights.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value studies
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the buildings.
- →Making the snow too bright and flat.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the buildings and the background.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for texture. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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