plate no. 1388
Smolny as seen from Bolshaya Okhta
Alexey Bogolyubov, 1870
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details and figures in a landscape.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of major elements like the buildings and boats.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light, blended wash, establishing the overall atmospheric perspective.
- step 03
Establish the base color of the water, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone and reflection.
- step 04
Paint the distant buildings and trees, using muted colors and soft edges to create depth.
- step 05
Add the boats and figures, focusing on accurate proportions and details.
- step 06
Develop the foreground with details of the shoreline and vegetation.
- step 07
Refine the reflections in the water, using vertical strokes and slightly darker values.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · viridian
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use ultramarine and burnt umber to create grays for the buildings and sky.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·rendering reflections
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →overworking the details in the background
- →making the reflections too symmetrical
- →using colors that are too saturated
- →incorrect proportions of the buildings
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#10 filbert brush
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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