plate no. 2854

Houses in the snow print

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapehousessnowtreesfencewintercityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also provides practice in rendering bare tree branches and snow.

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, trees, and fence, paying attention to the overall composition.
step 02
Establish the main color blocks for the sky, snow, and buildings using thin washes.
step 03
Layer in darker values to define the forms of the houses and trees.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and roof lines.
step 05
Paint the bare tree branches, varying the thickness and direction of the lines.
step 06
Apply highlights to the snow and buildings to create a sense of light and shadow.
step 07
Add the fence details, paying attention to perspective.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

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

Mix white with small amounts of blue and umber for the snow. Use umber and sienna for the houses, adding touches of blue and white to cool the colors. Create grays by mixing blue, umber, and white.

techniques