plate no. 1891

The New City Hall

oilRomanticismcityscapebuildingcityscapetreesskygrassroad

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating a sense of depth using subtle value changes. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details in a loose and expressive manner.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the building, the horizon line, and the road.
step 02
Establish the basic value structure with a thin wash of diluted color, focusing on the sky and ground.
step 03
Add the darker values to define the building's form and architectural details.
step 04
Introduce the trees and other landscape elements, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 05
Refine the details of the building, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Develop the road and foreground, using subtle variations in value to suggest texture and distance.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to create a harmonious and atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · gray · beige · light blue

secondary · green · brown

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors with white. Use a touch of blue to cool down the grays and browns.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·grisaille underpainting
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the building, resulting in a stiff and unnatural appearance.
→Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image and reduce the sense of depth.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes in the sky and ground, leading to a lack of atmosphere.
→Making the colors too saturated, which can clash with the overall muted palette.