plate no. 9266
Mont-Cenis street in the Snow
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the mood of a winter scene using a limited color palette. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street, paying attention to perspective.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a muted gray-green tone.
- step 03
Establish the main color masses for the buildings and walls, using a limited palette.
- step 04
Add shadows and highlights to create depth and form.
- step 05
Paint the snow on the ground, using subtle variations in color to suggest texture.
- step 06
Add the bare trees, using thin, delicate brushstrokes.
- step 07
Refine the details of the buildings and walls, adding windows and other architectural elements.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall effect.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · Prussian blue · burnt sienna
Mix muted grays and greens by combining raw umber, titanium white, and small amounts of Prussian blue. Use yellow ochre to create warm tones for the buildings and walls. Add burnt sienna to deepen shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·limited palette
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Ignoring the importance of atmospheric perspective.
- →Not simplifying the architectural forms enough.
- →Creating mud by over-mixing colors.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·Prussian blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
A slightly textured canvas will enhance the dry brush effect. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
related guides
