plate no. 6178

King's Chapel, Boston

George Luks, 1923

oilNew Realismcityscapebuildingcityscapestreetfiguresskyarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and simplifying complex architectural forms into basic shapes. Students will also practice capturing the mood of a city scene using a limited color palette.

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: the building, the street, and the suggestion of other buildings in the background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral tone, paying attention to the light and shadow areas.
step 03
Block in the darkest areas of the building using a mix of dark brown and blue.
step 04
Add the lighter tones to the building, focusing on the areas where light hits the surface.
step 05
Paint the street with a cool blue-gray, adding darker shadows to create depth.
step 06
Suggest the figures in the foreground with simple strokes of color, focusing on their silhouettes.
step 07
Add details such as the streetlights and the suggestion of trees in the background.
step 08
Refine the edges and add final highlights to create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Mix blues and browns to create the various shades of gray and dark tones. Use white to lighten these mixtures for highlights and atmospheric effects. A touch of yellow ochre can warm up the browns.

techniques

·blocking in
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·limited palette
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the building, losing the overall impressionistic feel.
→Making the values too uniform, flattening the sense of depth.
→Using colors that are too saturated, creating a jarring effect.
→Not simplifying the figures enough, making them appear too detailed.