plate no. 8858

Times Square

oil, linenContemporary Realismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstreetcarsfiguressteam

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the essence of a scene with loose, expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex urban environments into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of major buildings and the street.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of neutral colors.
step 03
Block in the larger shapes of the buildings and vehicles using a limited palette of browns, grays, and whites.
step 04
Add the steam effect with loose, broken brushstrokes of white and light gray.
step 05
Refine the details of the buildings and vehicles, paying attention to the play of light and shadow.
step 06
Introduce subtle color variations to create depth and interest.
step 07
Add the figures and other small details to bring the scene to life.
step 08
Apply final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall impact.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

Achieve the various grays and browns by mixing the primary colors in different proportions. Use white to lighten the values and blue to cool down the browns.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·value blocking
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Creating too much contrast
→Ignoring atmospheric perspective
→Using too many colors
→Losing the looseness of the brushwork

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red light, ultramarine blue)
·assorted brushes (flat, round)
·palette
·linseed oil
·mineral spirits

optional