plate no. 9133

Huddersfield

L. S. Lowry, 1965

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)cityscapecityscapebuildingsfiguresindustrialskystreet

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes and capturing figures in motion with minimal detail. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth using atmospheric perspective and limited color variations.

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 buildings and chimneys, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the perspective of the street.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the ground.
step 04
Add the buildings, using a limited palette of grays, browns, and creams.
step 05
Paint the figures as simple stick-like shapes, varying their sizes and positions to create a sense of movement.
step 06
Add details such as windows, doors, and chimneys, using a fine brush.
step 07
Use small touches of red for accents like the bus and post boxes.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · raw umber

secondary · cadmium red light · cerulean blue

Mix various shades of gray by combining white and black. Add small amounts of raw umber to warm the grays. Use cerulean blue sparingly to create a slightly tinted white for the sky and some building details.

techniques