plate no. 9737
Pontoise, l'Eperon Street and Street de la Coutellerie
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for muted tones, and capturing the texture of old buildings with visible brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue.
- step 03
Establish the main value blocks for the buildings using a mix of white, ochre, and a touch of burnt umber.
- step 04
Paint the road with a base of yellow ochre, adding variations in tone and texture.
- step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and roof tiles, using darker values.
- step 06
Create texture on the building surfaces with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Introduce subtle color variations to the buildings and road to create depth and interest.
- step 08
Add the figures in the distance with minimal detail.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · ivory black
Achieve the off-white building colors by mixing white with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt umber. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, and mix burnt sienna and burnt umber for the roof tiles.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·linear perspective
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Creating overly saturated colors that don't match the muted palette.
- →Ignoring the perspective and creating distorted buildings.
- →Making the brushstrokes too uniform and losing the textural variety.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushwork. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
related guides
