plate no. 6915

New York

Arturo Souto, 1957

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsskyscrapersstreeturbansky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint, creating texture with visible brushstrokes, and simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and colors. It also encourages exploration of color mixing to achieve subtle variations in tone.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street using light pencil lines.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by applying a thin wash of diluted paint for the sky and general building tones.
step 03
Begin blocking in the larger areas of color on the buildings, focusing on the light and shadow patterns.
step 04
Use thicker paint and visible brushstrokes to add texture and detail to the buildings and street.
step 05
Layer different colors on top of each other to create depth and complexity.
step 06
Add details like signs and traffic lights with small, precise brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the edges of the buildings and street to create a sense of depth and perspective.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall contrast and visual interest.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix white with yellow ochre and a touch of burnt umber to create the off-white tones of the buildings. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, and mix small amounts of red and black to create darker shadows.

techniques

·impasto
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·layering
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Not establishing a clear value structure, leading to a flat and uninteresting composition.
→Getting bogged down in details too early, before establishing the overall color scheme.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing them, resulting in a lack of harmony.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags

optional

·painting medium
·varnish
·easel

Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the texture of the brushstrokes. Consider using a quick-drying medium to speed up the drying time of the oil paints.

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