plate no. 5738

Shell of the Building in Winter

Werner Berg, 1972

oilExpressionismlandscapebuildingssnowskywinterlandscapehouses

some experience helpful

This painting offers practice in depicting a winter scene with simple shapes and color variations in the snow. Students can learn to create depth using value and atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, mountain, and snow drifts.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light pinkish-gray tone.
step 03
Paint the main building with a base coat of orange, adding darker shades for shadows and lighter shades for highlights.
step 04
Add the snow on the roof and around the buildings, using white mixed with blues and grays to create shadows and depth.
step 05
Paint the distant buildings and mountain with muted colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features.
step 07
Refine the snow drifts, adding shadows and highlights to create texture and form.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · raw umber · cadmium orange · alizarin crimson

Mix white with small amounts of blue and umber for cool snow shadows. Create the building color by mixing burnt sienna and cadmium orange, adjusting with white for highlights and raw umber for shadows. Muted pinks and grays for the sky are achieved by mixing white, alizarin crimson, and ultramarine blue.

techniques