plate no. 8976

Saint-Julien-des-Chazes

oil, canvasImpressionismcityscapebuildingssnowrivermountaintreescityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water using broken brushstrokes. It also offers practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.

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 buildings, mountain, and river, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in large areas of color for the sky, mountain, and water.
step 03
Begin adding details to the buildings, paying attention to the shapes of the roofs and windows.
step 04
Develop the snow-covered mountain, using variations of white, blue, and purple to create depth and form.
step 05
Create the reflections in the water, using broken brushstrokes and similar colors to the surrounding objects.
step 06
Add details to the trees and other vegetation, using thin lines and small dabs of color.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · violet · sap green

Mix white with small amounts of blue and red for the snow and sky. Use umber and red for the buildings, and create variations by adding white, blue, or yellow. Achieve the water's reflections by blending similar colors to the surrounding objects with more blue and violet.

techniques