plate no. 1830

"Si Imprenabilis Pérouges Des Pérouges" Pérouges, Porte d'en Haut

Fernand Combes, 1919

watercolorImpressionismcityscapebuildingsarchitecturestreetarchwaywindowslandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for realistic textures, and layering watercolor washes to create depth and form. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details and suggesting textures of stone and wood.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and archway.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the buildings, establishing the base color.
step 03
Add darker washes of burnt umber and raw sienna to create shadows and define the architectural details.
step 04
Paint the sky with a diluted blue wash, leaving some areas white for clouds.
step 05
Add details to the windows, doors, and shutters using a fine brush and darker shades of brown and black.
step 06
Paint the road and foreground with a mix of earth tones, using dry brush techniques to create texture.
step 07
Add small details like the number '43' and the vegetation along the road.
step 08
Refine the details and add final touches to enhance the overall impression.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · raw sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · ivory black

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm tones of the buildings. Use ultramarine blue diluted for the sky. Combine burnt umber and raw sienna for shadows and darker areas.

techniques