plate no. 2870
City (Towers)
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice creating depth with value and using expressive brushstrokes to define forms. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex architectural details.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the towers and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky area with a thin wash of light beige/grey.
- step 03
Apply a thin wash of green in the upper left corner.
- step 04
Using a dark brown or black, begin to define the shapes of the towers with vertical brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add details to the main tower, focusing on its unique structure.
- step 06
Create a sense of depth by making the towers in the background less detailed and lighter in value.
- step 07
Add final touches and highlights to create contrast and visual interest.
- step 08
Allow to dry completely.
color palette
primary · dark brown · beige · grey
secondary · green
Mix the dark brown by combining burnt umber and a touch of black. Create the beige/grey by mixing white with a small amount of brown and grey.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·value study
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Making the towers too uniform
- →Not creating enough contrast
- →Using too much paint
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·canvas or painting panel
- ·dark brown oil paint
- ·beige oil paint
- ·grey oil paint
- ·green oil paint
- ·round brush
- ·flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
A textured canvas can enhance the effect of the brushstrokes.
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