Notre-Dame in Winter

Light enters from the upper left, casting long shadows across snow-covered foreground that slopes toward the viewer. Notre-Dame's silhouette dominates the middle distance on the far bank, its twin towers and spire rising sharply against a muted, hazy sky. The eye travels from the textured snow in the immediate foreground, across the dark river in the middle ground, and finally up to the cathedral's dark mass—the composition deliberately flattens spatial recession. A smaller dark structure sits to the right of the cathedral, anchoring the composition's horizontal rhythm.

The darkest darks are concentrated in three zones: the river water (deep blue-purple-black), the cathedral's silhouette, and the shadowed undersides of the foreground snow banks. The lightest lights are the exposed snow surfaces on the ground plane and scattered highlights on the cathedral's stonework. A distinct mid-value band of murky greens and brownish purples forms the river surface. Squint and you'll see four clear value masses: bright snow foreground, dark water, dark building, pale sky.

• #4b2940

  Alizarin crimson + ultramarine blue + raw sienna

  River water and deep shadows in the foreground snow

• #2a1b31

  Ultramarine blue + alizarin + ivory black

  Cathedral silhouette and darkest accents

• #ccc3b7

  Titanium white + raw sienna + touch of ultramarine

  Sunlit snow surfaces and highlights on cathedral stones

• #a78c7e

  Raw sienna + titanium white + alizarin

  Mid-tone snow shadows and weathered stone hints

• #71575b

  Burnt sienna + ultramarine blue + white

  Transitional tones between snow shadows and water

Edges are deliberately soft throughout—no crisp lines anywhere. The cathedral's profile melts into the hazy sky with blurred brushwork; the river's surface is worked with horizontal strokes that blur into the dark mass. Snow shadows are feathered and loose, especially where they meet illuminated passages. Notice the economy: Marquet uses broad, flat strokes and avoids detail, letting simplified shapes and value shifts do the heavy lifting.

1. 01

   Establish the sky and atmospheric base

   Thin your pigment with odorless mineral spirits and block in the entire upper half—sky and hazy background—with a pale greenish-brown and muted mauve, working wet-into-wet. Leave it loose and undefined; this atmospheric zone should feel distant. The cathedral will sit into this softness, so don't labor it.

2. 02

   Block the river and water mass

   While the sky is still tacky, lay in the river band as a horizontal strip of dark purple-blue, using ultramarine + alizarin + raw sienna. Let it be darker than the sky but not yet your darkest dark. Use flat, horizontal strokes to establish the recession and calm of the water surface.

3. 03

   Establish the cathedral silhouette

   Block in Notre-Dame's dark shape using your darkest mix (ultramarine + alizarin + touch of black). Don't attempt detail—simply define the twin towers, the spire, and the rough rectangular body. The silhouette should read as a single dark mass against the lighter sky. Place the smaller structure to the right with the same dark value.

4. 04

   Lay in the foreground snow slopes

   Block the immediate foreground snow with broad strokes of pale cream-white mixed with raw sienna and touch of ultramarine. Work diagonally across the lower two-thirds, suggesting the slope away from the viewer. Don't blend too much—leave visible brushwork. This is your lightest value zone and provides crucial contrast.

5. 05

   Model snow shadows and mid-tones

   Now add definition to the snow by introducing shadow areas using burnt sienna + ultramarine + white in the hollows and under-sides of the foreground drifts. Work loosely, feathering edges where shadow meets light. Notice how shadows appear on the left side of the composition and run diagonally—follow that light direction. Leave some white untouched to preserve luminosity.

6. 06

   Deepen the water and refine the river edge

   Return to the river and darken it further with a richer purple-black, blending slightly into the foreground snow where it meets the bank. Add subtle horizontal texture with a palette knife or dry brush to suggest water movement. The river's edge should be soft, not a hard line—let water color breathe into the snow shadow.

7. 07

   Add highlights to the cathedral and atmospheric touches

   With your lightest mix (white + touch of sienna), add delicate highlights to catch the cathedral's stonework—dabs on the upper edges of the towers and along the roofline where light would strike. In the sky, scumble hints of pale cream to suggest breaks in the overcast. These accents should be restrained and soft.

8. 08

   Unify and soften edges throughout

   Step back and look for any hard lines or jarring transitions. Using a dry flat brush or blending stump, soften the junction between sky and cathedral, water and snow, and dark and light passages. The entire painting should feel like it's seen through atmospheric haze. A light glaze of pale mauve-gray over cooler areas can enhance this mood.

• Making the cathedral too detailed or sharp—it's a silhouette. Resist the urge to add architectural features; the flat dark shape against atmosphere is what creates the effect.
• Brightening the river too much or making it obviously blue. The water here is murky and cool but desaturated; mix it cautiously and keep it dark enough to separate from the snow.
• Overworking the snow foreground into a uniform pale tone. The interest lies in subtle shadow modulation and loose brushwork—leave variety and texture.
• Creating a hard horizon line where water meets far shore. This should be a soft, ambiguous transition that keeps spatial recession atmospheric rather than geometric.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility