plate no. 6252

Suburban Landscape with Red Houses

Chaim Soutine, 1917

oil, canvasExpressionismcityscapebuildingshouseslandscapetreesskyvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of atmosphere and form. It's a great exercise in capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise detail.

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 of the buildings, trees, and foreground, focusing on composition.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, establishing the overall color scheme.
step 03
Begin building up layers of paint, using thicker brushstrokes to define forms and add texture.
step 04
Mix a variety of greens and browns to create depth and variation in the foliage.
step 05
Use reds and oranges to define the buildings, varying the intensity and hue to suggest light and shadow.
step 06
Add details such as windows and architectural features with smaller brushes.
step 07
Refine the foreground with expressive brushstrokes, suggesting the texture of the ground.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to create a sense of depth and vibrancy.

color palette

primary · red · green · yellow · white

secondary · brown · orange · blue

Achieve the various greens by mixing yellow with different shades of blue and brown. Create the reds by mixing a base red with white, orange, or brown to adjust the tone.

techniques