plate no. 9543

The Roofs of Paris in the Snow

Auguste Herbin, 1902

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapesnowbuildingsroofschimneystrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in pointillism and broken color techniques, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective and creating a sense of depth through color and value.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and rooftops, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish a light gray base tone for the sky and snowy areas.
step 03
Begin applying small dots of color to the sky, using blues, grays, and whites to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 04
Work on the buildings, using a variety of colors to represent the different materials and textures, focusing on the color variations within the shadows and highlights.
step 05
Add the snow on the rooftops, using white and light gray dots, and indicating the direction of the snowfall.
step 06
Paint the bare trees in the foreground, using thin lines and small dots of brown and gray.
step 07
Continue layering dots of color throughout the painting, refining the shapes and values.
step 08
Add final details, such as the chimneys and other architectural elements.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · viridian

Mix various shades of gray by combining white with small amounts of blue, umber, and ochre. Create subtle color variations by layering dots of different colors on top of each other.

techniques