plate no. 3593

St Paul's from the South

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingssmokeskyarchitecturerooftops

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating depth through layering and tonal variations. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a scene with loose, expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of St. Paul's Cathedral and the main rooftops.
step 02
Establish the sky and distant atmosphere with a thin wash of diluted gray and white.
step 03
Block in the larger shapes of the buildings with mid-tone browns and grays, paying attention to the light direction.
step 04
Add darker values to define the shadows and create depth in the buildings.
step 05
Begin layering lighter values to suggest the smoke and haze, using broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Introduce subtle color variations in the rooftops and buildings, such as hints of blue or ochre.
step 07
Add details like chimneys and windows, keeping them loose and suggestive.
step 08
Refine the foreground elements, such as the railway tracks, with slightly more detail.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · payne's gray

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix various shades of gray by combining white with Payne's gray and small amounts of raw umber. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna to warm up the browns and create subtle variations in the building colors. Add a touch of ultramarine blue to the grays for a cooler, atmospheric effect.

techniques