plate no. 0918

St. Stephen's Church, Lower Norwood

oil, canvasImpressionismcityscapetreeschurchroadfiguresskybuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the effects of light on foliage. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into impressionistic 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 the church, road, and trees.
step 02
Establish the sky and the overall light direction with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the trees and foliage using broad strokes.
step 04
Develop the road surface with variations in tone and color to suggest texture.
step 05
Add the figures and horse-drawn carriage, keeping them simple and suggestive.
step 06
Refine the details of the church spire and surrounding buildings.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall color harmony and balance.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · ivory black

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of cadmium yellow. Use burnt umber and ultramarine blue for the darker tones of the trees and buildings. Add white to lighten colors and create atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Creating overly saturated colors that appear unnatural.
→Failing to establish a clear light source and consistent shadows.
→Making the composition too symmetrical or static.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, sap green)
·round brushes (#2, #6)
·flat brushes (#4, #8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife