plate no. 7463
Fifth Ave
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in rendering complex reflections and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in tonal painting and capturing urban scenes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings.
- step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of value, focusing on the reflections in the glass building.
- step 04
Refine the shapes and details of the buildings, paying attention to the distorted reflections.
- step 05
Add the figures and street details, keeping them loose and suggestive.
- step 06
Develop the atmospheric perspective by softening edges and lightening values in the distance.
- step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and enhance the reflections.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing raw umber and white, adjusting with small amounts of black, yellow ochre, or burnt sienna for subtle variations. Use thin glazes of these colors to create depth and luminosity in the reflections.
techniques
- ·tonal painting
- ·glazing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details of the reflections too early.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Overworking the painting and losing the loose, suggestive quality.
- →Ignoring atmospheric perspective, which flattens the image.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·retouch varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for a good balance between texture and detail. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base value.
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