plate no. 9237

Paris, Montmartre, La Rue Des Abbesses

pastelImpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstreetskytreesfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and simplifying complex architectural forms. It also provides practice in capturing the mood of a scene through subtle color variations and loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and street, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue and gray.
step 03
Establish the main value masses of the buildings using a limited palette of earth tones and grays.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features, using small brushstrokes.
step 05
Paint the trees with loose, gestural strokes, varying the greens and browns.
step 06
Add figures and street details with quick, suggestive strokes.
step 07
Refine the values and colors throughout the painting, paying attention to the overall atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix various shades of gray by combining white with small amounts of raw umber, ultramarine blue, and burnt sienna. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna to create warm tones for the buildings.

techniques