plate no. 8958

La Puerta del Sol en Madrid

oilRocococityscapecityscapebuildingpeopleskyarchitectureplaza

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering complex architectural details with light and shadow. It also provides practice in depicting crowds of figures in a believable space.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the main building and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the buildings and the sky with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the light source and begin to define the shadows on the buildings and the ground.
step 04
Add details to the architecture, such as windows, columns, and ornamentation.
step 05
Start to populate the scene with figures, using simple shapes to represent the crowds.
step 06
Refine the details of the figures, adding clothing and facial features.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and create atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix various shades of gray and brown by combining burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. Use yellow ochre and white for the highlights on the buildings. Add small amounts of red and green to create subtle color variations in the figures.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·glazing
·rendering architectural details
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early
→Failing to establish a strong light source
→Making the figures too uniform
→Overworking the painting

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium red, viridian green)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags