plate no. 4525

Street of a provincial town

Boris Kustodiev, 1917

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)genre paintingtownfiguresbuildingsmarkettreessky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice sketching figures in a crowd and capturing the atmosphere of a busy marketplace. It also encourages experimentation with loose brushstrokes and color layering to create depth and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition using a pencil or charcoal.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the placement of key elements like the buildings and the church tower.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the sky, buildings, trees, and ground using thin washes.
step 04
Start adding details to the buildings and figures, focusing on capturing their basic forms and gestures.
step 05
Layer colors to create depth and dimension, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 06
Use thicker paint and bolder brushstrokes to add texture and definition to the foreground elements.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of vibrancy and life.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · cadmium red · raw umber

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue or viridian green. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Create browns and grays by mixing complementary colors.

techniques

·dry brushing
·color layering
·sketching
·scumbling
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Getting bogged down in rendering individual figures instead of focusing on the overall composition.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing and layering.