plate no. 5670

The Close of Day - Selling out

oil, canvasNaturalismgenre paintingfigurenightcityscapewaterclothingbasket

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering figures in complex lighting and creating atmospheric perspective in a cityscape. It also provides practice in depicting textures of fabric and stone.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the placement of the figure and the cityscape in the background.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar neutral color.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the figure, including the blue dress, white skirt, and black shawl, focusing on accurate color mixing.
step 04
Begin working on the background cityscape, layering dark blues and grays to create depth and atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Add details to the figure, such as the facial features, folds in the clothing, and texture of the shawl.
step 06
Refine the lighting and shadows throughout the painting, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
step 07
Add the final details, such as the stars in the sky, the lights in the cityscape, and the debris on the ground.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the colors and create a sense of depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · ivory black · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · payne's gray

Mix various shades of blue and gray for the sky and cityscape. Use white to lighten the blue for the dress and add highlights to the skirt. Mix black with umber and blue for the shawl.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·figure drawing
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figure wrong.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the cityscape.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
→Not paying enough attention to the lighting and shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, titanium white, ivory black, burnt umber, cadmium red, yellow ochre, payne's gray)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife