plate no. 2393

Le Clos des Abbesses

oil, cardboardImpressionismcityscapebuildingsstreettreesskyarchitecturevillage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in light and shadow, and practice creating depth through atmospheric perspective.

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 of the buildings, street, and trees, focusing on perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue, allowing some variation in tone.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for the buildings using a limited palette of warm and cool neutrals.
step 04
Develop the shadows on the buildings, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and rooflines, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the foliage with loose, gestural strokes, using a mix of greens and browns.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add the artist's signature.

color palette

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

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · sap green

Mix white with yellow ochre and a touch of raw umber for the warm tones of the buildings. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky. Create subtle variations by adding small amounts of burnt sienna or cadmium red to the base colors.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima
·directional brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating colors that are too saturated and not capturing the subtle nuances of light and shadow.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of perspective.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform and not varying the texture.