plate no. 8901

Houses in the Evening (Sun Effect)

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapehousestreesfigurelandscapebenchfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, and in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in capturing the effect of light and shadow on various surfaces.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the houses, tree, and figure, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for the sky, buildings, and ground using thin washes.
step 03
Start layering in darker values to define shadows and create form, especially on the roofs and tree trunk.
step 04
Add highlights to the sunlit areas of the buildings and foliage using thicker paint.
step 05
Refine the details of the windows, doors, and bench, paying attention to their shapes and values.
step 06
Add texture to the foliage and ground with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Introduce the figure, focusing on capturing the essence of the form rather than precise detail.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to enhance the overall harmony and light effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium yellow · viridian green

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white to lighten values and create subtle shifts in color temperature. Mix greens with blues and yellows, and browns with reds and yellows.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·layering
·scumbling
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a flat and unnatural look.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth and form.
→Not simplifying the forms and getting bogged down in unnecessary details.