plate no. 2282

Morning, Nogales, Arizona

Charles Reiffel, 1928

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapecityscapemountainsbuildingsskytreeslandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and broken color techniques to create depth and texture. 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. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, cityscape, and foreground elements, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish a basic value structure by blocking in the darks, mid-tones, and lights with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin layering colors, focusing on capturing the overall color harmony and atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Use broken color techniques to create texture and visual interest in the mountains, buildings, and foliage.
step 05
Refine the details of the buildings and foreground elements, paying attention to their shapes and values.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Blend and soften edges as needed to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to achieve the desired effect.