plate no. 4120

Sympathy

oil, canvasNaturalismgenre paintingfigurescityscapenightviolinarchitecturestars

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures in low light and creating atmospheric perspective in a cityscape. It also provides practice in depicting textures of clothing and architectural details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the cityscape.
step 02
Establish the overall dark background with a mix of blues, greens, and browns.
step 03
Block in the figures with simplified shapes and values, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Begin refining the details of the cityscape, including the buildings and lights.
step 05
Add the stars in the sky using small dots of white and yellow.
step 06
Develop the details of the figures, including their clothing and facial features.
step 07
Add the violin and other smaller details.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding highlights to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · Prussian Blue · Burnt Umber · Titanium White

secondary · Yellow Ochre · Cadmium Red · Payne's Gray

Achieve the night sky by mixing Prussian Blue, Burnt Umber, and a touch of white. Use Yellow Ochre and Cadmium Red for the warm lights of the city.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering textures

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Using too much bright color, which can detract from the overall mood.
→Not creating enough atmospheric perspective in the cityscape.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 18x24
·Oil paints (Prussian Blue, Burnt Umber, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Payne's Gray)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife