plate no. 3035

Landscape with Houses at Balcic

oilRealismcityscapebuildingsstreettreesskyshadowshouses

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for natural light, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details and foliage with loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and grey tones, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for the buildings (white with warm undertones) and roofs (red-orange).
step 04
Paint the street with a base of warm beige, then add shadows using darker, cooler tones.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and architectural features.
step 06
Paint the trees using a variety of greens and browns, suggesting foliage with broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the shadows and highlights throughout the painting to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed to achieve a cohesive look.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · sap green

Mix various shades of white with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt sienna to achieve the warm white of the buildings. Create the street color by mixing burnt sienna, yellow ochre, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Achieve the roof color by mixing cadmium red and burnt sienna.

techniques

·blocking in
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, leading to distorted buildings.
→Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff and unnatural look.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
→Using colors that are too saturated, making the painting look artificial.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre, sap green)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife