plate no. 4979
Effect of Snow at Petit-Montrouge
Edouard Manet, 1870
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in limited palette painting and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare the canvas with a neutral ground.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the main shapes of the buildings and the water line.
- step 03
Block in the sky with a thin wash of the dominant color.
- step 04
Establish the darkest values in the foreground and buildings.
- step 05
Begin layering lighter values to suggest snow and reflections.
- step 06
Refine the shapes of the buildings and add details with small brushstrokes.
- step 07
Soften edges and blend colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final highlights to the snow and water.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black
Mix white with raw umber and a touch of yellow ochre to create the sky and snow. Use burnt sienna and ivory black to darken the shadows and add depth.
techniques
- ·alla prima
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·limited palette
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Creating harsh lines
- →Using too many colors
- →Ignoring value relationships
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes size 2-6
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a fast-drying medium to speed up the drying time.
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