plate no. 9393

The Jewish quarter in Amsterdam

oilRomanticismcityscapecityscapebuildingsfiguresstreetsnowsky

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, atmospheric perspective, and rendering complex architectural details. It also provides practice in painting figures in a crowd and capturing the effects of light and shadow on a winter scene.

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 perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Establish the main value areas: sky, buildings in light, buildings in shadow, and ground.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the buildings, using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, architectural ornaments, and snow.
step 05
Paint the sky with soft, blended brushstrokes, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Add the figures in the foreground, paying attention to their proportions and gestures.
step 07
Refine the details of the figures and buildings, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches, such as small details of snow and reflections on the wet street.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining the primary colors. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights. Add small amounts of blue to create cooler tones for shadows and atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·linear perspective
·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·dry brushing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, which will make the buildings look distorted.
→Overworking the details, which will make the painting look too busy.
→Using too much color, which will make the painting look unnatural.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (burnt sienna, raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette knife
·rags