plate no. 6259

Rouen, La Seine et les Collines à Canteleu

oilPointillismlandscaperivertreesbuildingsskyhillswater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color mixing for pointillism and how to build up an image using small dots of color. It also provides practice in creating depth and atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: the horizon line, the outline of the hills, the riverbank, and the buildings.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme, focusing on the cool blues and greens for the water and sky, and warmer tones for the buildings and hills.
step 03
Begin applying small dots of color, starting with the background (hills and sky) and working your way forward.
step 04
Use a variety of colors to create depth and texture, layering dots of different hues to achieve the desired effect.
step 05
Pay attention to the reflections in the water, using similar colors as the objects above, but slightly muted.
step 06
Add details to the buildings and trees, using darker colors to create shadows and highlights.
step 07
Continuously step back from your work to assess the overall balance and composition, making adjustments as needed.
step 08
Refine the details and add any final touches to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · cadmium yellow

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric perspective. Mix blue and yellow for various greens.

techniques