plate no. 5556

VIEW ALONG THE SEINE, PARIS

Gerard Sekoto, 1970

oilExpressionismcityscaperiverbuildingscityscapewaterbridgetree

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using color temperature to create depth. It also provides practice in capturing the reflections and movement of water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, river, and bridge, focusing on proportions and perspective.
step 02
Establish the light and shadow areas with a thin wash of diluted paint.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the buildings, sky, and water, using broad brushstrokes.
step 04
Develop the details of the buildings, adding windows, architectural features, and variations in color.
step 05
Paint the river, capturing the reflections of the buildings and sky with horizontal strokes.
step 06
Add the tree, paying attention to its shape and color variations.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green

Mix various shades of blue and white for the sky and water. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the buildings, and mix green with blue and yellow for the tree.

techniques

·blocking in
·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·scumbling
·color temperature

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Not paying attention to the color temperature and creating a flat, lifeless painting.
→Failing to capture the reflections and movement of the water.
→Getting the perspective wrong and creating a distorted image.