plate no. 7747

Traffic Reflector

oilContemporary Realismcityscapecarswallsignskyreflectorcityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve realistic tones and practice creating textures to depict the aged wall surface. It also encourages careful observation of reflections and perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the wall, cars, and signs.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, wall, and car roofs.
step 03
Begin layering the wall texture, using a dry brush technique with varying shades of brown and gray.
step 04
Paint the details of the cars, including highlights and shadows to create a sense of form.
step 05
Add the details of the signs, paying attention to the lettering and reflections in the traffic reflector.
step 06
Refine the edges and details throughout the painting, ensuring a smooth transition between colors.
step 07
Add the figure on the wall, keeping it small and in proportion.
step 08
Apply final glazes to unify the colors and add depth.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · titanium white · sap green · black

Achieve the wall color by mixing burnt umber with white and small amounts of blue and yellow ochre. The car colors are vibrant and require careful mixing of primary colors with white to achieve the desired hues.

techniques