plate no. 4918

Factory in North London

Lucian Freud, 1972

oil, canvasContemporary Realismcityscapebuildingfactoryarchitecturewindowsurbanexterior

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, rendering textures of brick and metal, and mixing subtle color variations to create a realistic depiction of an urban environment.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a detailed perspective sketch of the building, paying attention to the receding lines and angles.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and areas of color, focusing on the overall composition.
step 03
Begin layering in the base colors for the brickwork, concrete, and metal surfaces.
step 04
Mix and apply subtle color variations to create depth and texture in the brick and concrete.
step 05
Add details to the windows, doors, and other architectural elements.
step 06
Paint the metal structures, paying attention to rust and weathering effects.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create a sense of realism.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · payne's gray · cadmium yellow

Achieve the various shades of brick and concrete by mixing raw umber, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna with varying amounts of titanium white. Use Payne's gray to create shadows and darker tones.

techniques

·perspective drawing
·color mixing
·layering
·dry brushing
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Incorrect perspective can ruin the entire painting.
→Overmixing colors can lead to muddy results.
→Ignoring subtle color variations can make the painting look flat.
→Getting lost in details before establishing the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, payne's gray, cadmium yellow)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags