plate no. 2392

Collioure. Street with the palm

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1930

oilExpressionismcityscapebuildingsstreetfigureskypalm treevegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and understanding how to use a limited color palette to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, figure, mountain, and palm tree.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue wash, leaving some areas for clouds.
step 03
Apply a base layer of warm tones (ochre, sienna) to the buildings, varying the intensity.
step 04
Add shadows to the buildings using darker mixes of the warm tones, plus a touch of blue or black.
step 05
Paint the figure in dark tones, simplifying the details.
step 06
Render the palm tree with greens and browns, using loose brushstrokes.
step 07
Add details like windows, doors, and vegetation with smaller brushes.
step 08
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red

Mix ochre and sienna for the buildings, adding blue for shadows. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Mix greens from blue and yellow for the palm tree.

techniques