plate no. 4667

Grand Via

Antonio Lopez Garcia, 1981

oilSurrealismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstreetarchitectureurbanroad

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, color mixing to achieve subtle tonal variations, and rendering architectural details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic perspective lines and shapes of the buildings and street.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing point(s).
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the buildings with thin washes of color.
step 04
Gradually build up layers of color and detail, working from general to specific.
step 05
Pay close attention to the subtle shifts in color and value to create depth and atmosphere.
step 06
Add details like windows, signs, and street markings.
step 07
Refine the edges and details of the buildings to create a sense of realism.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the scene.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cerulean blue · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing raw umber and white, adding small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth and cerulean blue for coolness. Use burnt sienna to create darker shadows and accents.

techniques