plate no. 5240

Saint-Cenery, the Church and the Bridge

oilImpressionismlandscapebridgerivertreeschurchskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to represent distance. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes into manageable shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the bridge, church, trees, and river, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darks and lights with thin washes of color.
step 03
Begin layering colors to create the base tones for the sky, water, foliage, and stone.
step 04
Develop the details of the bridge and church, focusing on the texture of the stone and the architectural elements.
step 05
Add the foliage using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 06
Paint the reflections in the water, paying attention to the distortion and color variations.
step 07
Refine the details of the sky and add highlights to the foliage and water.
step 08
Add the figures on the bridge as small details.

color palette

primary · viridian green · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Mix greens by combining viridian green and yellow ochre, and create earth tones by mixing raw umber with burnt sienna and white. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding white and blue to distant colors.

techniques