The street

A market street bathed in warm sunlight, dominated by a golden-ochre ground that fills nearly half the composition. The eye enters at center with the donkey and cart, then moves to the commanding red-robed figure on the right. Strong directional shadows cast by a gnarled black tree in the upper left create dynamic diagonal movement across the scene. Multiple figures—rendered as simplified, solid forms—populate the street and buildings in varying scales, creating depth through size and placement rather than perspective lines. The entire scene radiates warmth from the limited but vibrant palette of burnt ochres, burgundy accents, and cool architectural shadows.

Very high-key overall with the street and walls occupying the light-to-midtone range (#bda751, #cfc465, #9c8350). The darkest darks (#353334) are confined to the tree trunk and shadow accents beneath figures. Mid-tones (#7e5946) anchor the architecture. A single deep burgundy note (#722e30) in the right-side figure creates the strongest value anchor. Squint-test shows three distinct value groups: light (street and walls), mid (figures and architectural details), and dark (tree and shadows)—a simplified structure that avoids competition between value zones.

• #bda751

  Ochre + Yellow with a touch of Umber

  Street surface, sunny wall portions, dominant warm underpainting throughout

• #cfc465

  Cadmium Yellow Light + Ochre + White

  Brightest architectural wall areas, sky, background building highlights

• #9c8350

  Raw Sienna + Ultramarine Blue (desaturated warm)

  Building forms, shadows on architecture, mid-tone walls and architectural planes

• #7e5946

  Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine Blue

  Deeper shadow areas, figure clothing, tree foliage shadows

• #722e30

  Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue + touch of Yellow Ochre

  The dominant red-robed figure on right, red shutters and doors, accents on other figures

• #353334

  Ultramarine Blue + Burnt Sienna + Black (or just Black + touch of Ultramarine)

  Tree trunk and foliage shadows, darkest clothing accents, shadow lines beneath figures

Brushwork is loose and directional, with visible strokes creating movement and energy. The tree foliage shows loose, gestural marks in dark tones over lighter yellow-greens. Figures are defined by bold outlines and simplified interior modeling rather than graduated transitions. Architectural forms are handled in flat, planar blocks with minimal shadow modeling. The overall effect is confident and expressionistic—edges are deliberately approximate, and the paint sits visibly on the surface rather than being blended into invisibility.

1. 01

   Block in the warm foundation

   Use thinned ochre and yellow to cover the entire street surface and lighter wall areas. This warm golden tone will unify the composition and serve as luminous underpainting. Work loosely, allowing the canvas to show through. Establish the basic division between ground plane (lower two-thirds) and sky/buildings (upper third).

2. 02

   Establish the dark tree mass

   Paint the gnarled black tree trunk and canopy in the upper left using dark navy-black mixed with ultramarine. Use directional, expressive strokes for the foliage. This dark anchor will establish value contrast for the entire scene. Let some yellow show through the foliage for light-struck areas.

3. 03

   Block in architectural planes

   Paint the major building forms using warm ochres, tans, and desaturated greens for the different wall facings. Keep edges hard and forms simplified—avoid perspective recession. Establish the red doorways and shutters using the deep burgundy. These architectural blocks create the spatial container for the figures.

4. 04

   Establish the shadow structure

   Add cooler mid-tones (grey-blues and brown-greens) to suggest shadows beneath the tree and cast across the ground. Keep shadows generalized, not photographic. These directional marks will activate the street surface and suggest the strong light source from the upper left.

5. 05

   Paint the figures as solid masses

   Render the figures using simplified forms and clear color shapes—don't model them as three-dimensional bodies. The left figure wears black; the two central figures wear striped clothing with warm and cool tones; the prominent right figure is rendered in deep burgundy with simplified folds. Use dark outlines to define edges. Keep proportions loose and expressive rather than anatomically precise.

6. 06

   Add the cart and animals

   Paint the yellow cart and the small dark donkey using simplified, blocky forms. The dog in the foreground is a warm orange-brown. These elements should read as simple masses, not detailed renderings. Their placement creates the compositional focus.

7. 07

   Unify and adjust color harmony

   Step back and assess overall warmth. The entire scene should feel sun-drenched and warm. Add accent touches of the burgundy throughout to create color unity. Darken or modify any greys or cooler tones that don't feel cohesive with the warm ochre foundation. Check that the street reads as a unified, receding plane.

8. 08

   Refine edges and add final accents

   Strengthen the darkest darks in the tree and shadow areas for final value contrast. Add small details like the baskets and cargo on cart, but keep them simplified. Add thin dark lines to reinforce figure edges and clothing geometry. The final result should feel energetic and spontaneous, not labored—leave visible brushstrokes and don't over-blend.

• Rendering the figures with realistic anatomy instead of treating them as simplified expressionistic shapes—they should be bold color blocks with clear edges, not modeled forms.
• Making the street and walls too green or cool instead of maintaining the warm, golden-ochre dominance throughout—this is a sun-baked, warm scene that should never feel cool.
• Over-detailing the tree foliage and cart until they become photographic; expressionism requires confident simplification and visible brushwork.
• Losing the flat, compressed spatial structure by adding excessive perspective or shadow modeling—keep the composition planar and let the figures' sizes and placement establish depth rather than receding lines.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility