plate no. 7441

Le Pont Neuf, Paris

pastelImpressionismlandscaperivertreesbridgebuildingsskywater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water using pastels. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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, bridge, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with light gray pastel for the sky and dark gray/brown for the water and foreground.
step 03
Add the darkest darks in the water and under the bridge.
step 04
Begin layering colors for the buildings, using warm browns and grays.
step 05
Develop the trees with darker browns and blacks, adding hints of orange and yellow for foliage.
step 06
Create the water reflections using horizontal strokes of gray, white, and hints of blue and green.
step 07
Soften edges and blend colors using fingers or a blending stump.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the buildings, trees, and water.

color palette

primary · gray · brown · white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · dark blue

Mix grays by blending white with browns and blues. Achieve the warm tones in the buildings by layering burnt sienna and yellow ochre. Use blue and green sparingly in the water reflections.

techniques

·pastel layering
·blending
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering reflections
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the pastel and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of the scene.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
→Getting lost in details and not simplifying the scene.