plate no. 3164

On the balcony

oil, canvasRealismgenre paintingbalconyfigurebuildingcityscapewindowdress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering atmospheric perspective and capturing the texture of different materials like fabric and stone. It also provides practice in depicting a figure within an architectural setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure, balcony, and architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main color areas, starting with the sky and background buildings.
step 04
Develop the figure's dress, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 05
Add details to the balcony railing and architectural elements, using a smaller brush.
step 06
Refine the lighting and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figure and background.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and adjust the values.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · raw sienna · ivory black · cadmium yellow

Mix blues and whites for the dress, adding small amounts of yellow ochre for warmth. Use burnt umber and raw sienna for the architectural elements, adjusting the values with white and black.

techniques