plate no. 9468

Street in Rouen

oil, canvasImpressionismcityscapestreetbuildingsfiguresskytreescarriage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and colors. It also provides practice in capturing light and shadow using broken color techniques.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: the road, buildings, and figures.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the vanishing point.
step 03
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, starting with the sky.
step 04
Gradually build up layers of color, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Pay attention to the values and color temperatures to create depth.
step 06
Add details to the buildings and figures, keeping them simple and suggestive.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to enhance the form.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall composition.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ivory black

Mix various shades of pink and orange for the road and buildings by combining burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, and white. Create the sky with mixtures of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of ultramarine blue. Use black and ultramarine blue for the figures and tree.

techniques

·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·layering
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, alizarin crimson, ivory black)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·rags