plate no. 5070

Plac Wittelsbachów w Monachium

oilRealismcityscapecityscapebuildingsnightstatuefiguresarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create a sense of depth using subtle value changes and soft edges. It also provides practice in capturing the mood of a nocturnal scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the statue, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of dark blue and brown, creating the night sky and shadows.
step 03
Begin building up the darker areas of the buildings and figures with thicker paint, using a limited palette of browns and blues.
step 04
Add highlights to the buildings and the reflections on the wet ground using lighter shades of yellow and white.
step 05
Refine the details of the statue and the architectural elements, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 06
Use soft brushes to blend the edges of the forms and create a sense of atmosphere.
step 07
Add small touches of bright yellow to represent the lights in the windows and street lamps.
step 08
Review and adjust the values and colors to achieve the desired mood and depth.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Burnt umber · Titanium white

secondary · Yellow ochre · Payne's gray

Achieve the dark, muted tones by mixing Prussian blue and burnt umber. Add white to create lighter values and yellow ochre for the warm highlights.

techniques

·Glazing
·Scumbling
·Dry brushing
·Atmospheric perspective
·Limited palette

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Creating too much contrast
→Using colors that are too bright
→Losing the atmospheric effect

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Burnt umber, Titanium white, Yellow ochre, Payne's gray)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette
·Palette knife