plate no. 6969

Street of Milan at sunset

oil, cardboardRealismcityscapestreetcityscapecarriagesfiguresbuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the mood of a cityscape. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes and using loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare the canvas with a warm toned ground (e.g., burnt sienna wash).
step 02
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective of the street and the placement of major elements.
step 03
Block in the sky with a blend of orange, yellow, and white, creating a soft, diffused light.
step 04
Establish the distant buildings and sky using a muted blue-grey palette, focusing on atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Paint the road surface with varying shades of grey and blue, suggesting wetness and reflections.
step 06
Add the carriages and figures using simplified shapes and dark values.
step 07
Introduce details such as the trees and building edges with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium yellow

Mix various shades of grey by combining ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and white. Achieve the warm sky tones by blending yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, and white. Use black sparingly to darken values.

techniques