plate no. 4673

Leipziger Straße

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapestreetnightfiguresrainbuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing atmospheric perspective and using broken color to suggest light and reflection. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of major elements like the buildings, figures, and street.
step 02
Establish the overall dark value of the painting with a thin wash of dark brown or black.
step 03
Block in the major light areas, such as the reflections on the wet street and the illuminated buildings, using a limited palette of warm colors.
step 04
Add details to the figures and carriages, focusing on capturing their silhouettes and suggesting movement.
step 05
Refine the reflections on the street, using vertical strokes of light and dark colors to create a sense of depth and wetness.
step 06
Add highlights to the buildings and figures to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a cohesive and atmospheric painting.
step 08
Add final details and touches to enhance the realism and visual interest of the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Mix blacks and browns with small amounts of blue and red to avoid a flat, lifeless tone. Use yellow ochre and cadmium yellow to create warm highlights and reflections.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Creating too much detail and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated, which can disrupt the dark and moody atmosphere of the painting.
→Failing to capture the reflections on the wet street, which are essential to the painting's success.