plate no. 1087

Medieval half-timbered town

Hugo Mühlig

oilImpressionismcityscapetownbridgefigurearchitectureroadsky

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the main elements: the figure, the tower, the buildings, and the road.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral color, paying attention to the light source and shadows.
step 03
Block in the main color masses for the sky, buildings, and road, using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Add details to the architectural elements, such as the tower and the half-timbered houses, using small brushstrokes and varying colors.
step 05
Paint the figure and the carriage, paying attention to their proportions and placement within the scene.
step 06
Create the reflections on the wet road by adding horizontal strokes of lighter and darker values.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches, such as the birds in the sky and the foliage on the trees.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow · ivory black

Mix various shades of gray and brown by combining raw umber, titanium white, and a touch of ivory black. Use yellow ochre and cadmium yellow to create the warm tones of the buildings and the carriage. Burnt sienna can be used to add warmth to the shadows and create the red-tiled roofs.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·scumbling
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and creating a flat, two-dimensional image.