plate no. 1917

Nikolsky Market in St.Petersburg

gouache, watercolor, charcoalArt Nouveau (Modern)cityscapebuildingsboatswaterfiguresmarketcityscape

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, color mixing for realistic textures, and rendering complex scenes with many details. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using color and value.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and boats.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the buildings, boats, and water using diluted washes.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, arches, and architectural features, using a fine brush or pen.
step 05
Develop the textures of the boats, wood, and water with layering and dry brush techniques.
step 06
Introduce shadows and highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add figures and other small details to bring the scene to life.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · Prussian blue · sap green

secondary · cadmium red · titanium white · ivory black

Achieve the building colors by mixing yellow ochre with burnt umber and small amounts of blue or white. Create the water colors by mixing Prussian blue with burnt umber and touches of green or white. The boat colors are achieved by mixing the primary colors with white.

techniques