plate no. 9067

Stradă la Balcic

Jean Alexandru Steriadi, 1924

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingsstreettreesskysidewalkfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and in using broken brushstrokes to create texture and form. It also provides practice in depicting atmospheric perspective in a cityscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, trees, and street, focusing on proportions and perspective.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the general tones of the buildings and street.
step 03
Develop the color variations within the buildings, using a mix of warm and cool tones to create depth.
step 04
Paint the trees, using broken brushstrokes to suggest the leaves and branches.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and awnings.
step 06
Refine the street and sidewalk, paying attention to the play of light and shadow.
step 07
Add the figure and any other small details.
step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments to color, value, and composition.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw sienna

Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for the warm tones of the buildings and street. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, and mix with yellow ochre for the greens of the trees. Add small amounts of cadmium red for accents.

techniques