plate no. 5471

Park Place

Wayne Thiebaud, 1993

oilNew Realismcityscapecityscapebuildingshillsroadarchitectureurban

some experience helpful

This painting helps students practice perspective, color mixing for light and shadow, and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective. Recreating this will also develop skills in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the road, buildings, and hills, paying close attention to the converging lines.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, hills, road, and buildings with thin washes.
step 03
Begin to define the shapes of the buildings and hills with darker values, focusing on the shadows.
step 04
Mix subtle variations of greens and browns for the hills, layering colors to create depth and texture.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features, using a smaller brush.
step 06
Refine the road surface with subtle variations in color and texture, adding the yellow line.
step 07
Add highlights to the buildings and hills to create a sense of light and dimension.
step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments to the colors, values, and details.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · viridian green · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue, varying the proportions for different shades. Achieve the road color by mixing burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. Use white to lighten and desaturate colors for highlights and atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·linear perspective
·color mixing
·layering
·atmospheric perspective
·blocking in

common pitfalls

→Failing to establish accurate perspective lines, leading to a distorted composition.
→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in a flat and unrealistic painting.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value, leading to a lack of depth.