plate no. 8385

Italian's house at Monmartre

oil, panelPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingsstreetfiguresskywindowsshutters

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for muted tones, and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of muted pinks and oranges.
step 03
Establish the basic colors of the buildings: white for the main building, green for the building on the left, and hints of color for the roof.
step 04
Add the darker tones to define shadows and architectural details like windows and doors.
step 05
Mix various shades of green and apply to the shutters, balconies, and foliage.
step 06
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create texture on the walls and street.
step 07
Add the figures in the distance with simple shapes and colors.
step 08
Refine details and add highlights to create depth and interest.

color palette

primary · titanium white · sap green · raw umber

secondary · cadmium yellow · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., green and red, blue and orange) with white. Use raw umber to darken colors and create shadows.

techniques