plate no. 8630

Old Moscow street

oil, canvasRomanticismcityscapebuildingsfigurescityscapechurcharchitecturestreet

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the interplay of light and shadow in a complex scene. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a crowd and suggesting details rather than precisely defining them.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the horizon line, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Establish the main light source and block in the large areas of light and shadow.
step 03
Begin to define the shapes of the buildings, focusing on the architectural details of the church.
step 04
Add the figures in the foreground, using loose brushstrokes to suggest their forms.
step 05
Develop the color palette, mixing subtle variations of the main colors.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings and figures, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Add final touches, such as the crosses on the church and the details of the clothing.
step 08
Glaze with thin washes of color to unify the painting and create atmosphere.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white sparingly to maintain the painting's overall warmth. Create the sky by mixing white, blue, and a touch of yellow ochre.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, which can flatten the painting.
→Using too much white, which can make the colors appear chalky.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast, which can make the painting appear flat.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point, which can make the painting feel disorganized.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (burnt umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, viridian green, alizarin crimson)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·rags