plate no. 9648

Paris. Saint Denis Arc

Konstantín Korovin, 1930

oil, canvasImpressionismcityscapecityscapestreetbuildingscarsfiguresnight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing atmospheric perspective and using broken color to depict light and reflections. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the arch, buildings, and street layout.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme with a thin wash of green for the sky and darker tones for the buildings.
step 03
Block in the major value areas, focusing on the darks of the buildings and the lighter areas of the reflections on the street.
step 04
Begin adding details to the buildings and arch, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture and light.
step 05
Paint the street reflections, using horizontal strokes and varying the colors to mimic the wet surface.
step 06
Add the figures and cars, keeping them simple and suggestive.
step 07
Introduce the highlights of the street lamps and building lights.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · viridian green · burnt umber · cadmium red · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining viridian green with yellow ochre or ultramarine blue. Create darker tones by mixing burnt umber with ultramarine blue. Use white to create highlights and lighter values.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Failing to capture the correct values, which can flatten the image.
→Using too much detail in the background, which can diminish the sense of depth.
→Not capturing the reflective quality of the wet street.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

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