plate no. 3018

Street Scene, Montmartre

oilImpressionismcityscapestreetbuildingfigureskytreescityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow, creating depth through atmospheric perspective, and using broken color to suggest texture and detail.

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 building, figure, and street.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, building, street, and trees.
step 03
Establish the basic values (light and dark) in each area.
step 04
Begin adding details to the building, such as windows and architectural features.
step 05
Develop the figure, paying attention to the folds of the clothing and the light on the shawl.
step 06
Add details to the street, such as cracks, shadows, and puddles.
step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, using broken color to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · titanium white

Mix blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of yellow ochre for warmth. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the building and street, varying the proportions to create different shades. Mix red and white for the shawl, adding a touch of burnt umber to tone it down.

techniques

·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·alla prima
·implied detail

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, which can make the painting look stiff and unnatural.
→Using too much detail in the background, which can flatten the sense of depth.
→Not paying attention to the values, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Failing to capture the light and shadow, which can make the painting look flat.