plate no. 6793
Square Tertre on Montmartre
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting architectural forms with simplified shapes and capturing atmospheric perspective using a limited color palette. It also provides practice in rendering textures with visible brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and trees, paying attention to perspective.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light gray or blue-gray wash.
- step 03
Establish the main color blocks for the buildings, using a limited palette of whites, grays, and earth tones.
- step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and signage, using darker values.
- step 05
Paint the trees with thin, vertical strokes, adding branches and twigs.
- step 06
Develop the street with horizontal strokes, suggesting the texture of the pavement.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · payne's gray
secondary · sap green · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of gray by combining white, raw umber, and a touch of blue or red. Achieve the building colors by mixing white with small amounts of earth tones and grays.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·limited palette
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the original.
- →Using too many colors and creating a muddy effect.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the background too sharp.
- →Not capturing the texture of the buildings and street.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, burnt sienna, payne's gray)
- ·round brushes (#4, #6, #8)
- ·flat brush (#6)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
Using a slightly textured canvas can enhance the effect of the brushstrokes. Consider using a medium to speed up drying time.
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