plate no. 6138

View from the Bridge

Serge Sudeikin, 1920

mixed technique, cardboardPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapebridgehousetreesfigurewater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing atmospheric perspective through color and value variations. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the house, bridge, figure, and trees, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of light blue and white, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 03
Establish the basic colors of the house, using a mix of blues and grays, and add details like windows and trim.
step 04
Paint the water with varying shades of blue and green, using horizontal strokes to suggest its movement.
step 05
Add the trees and foliage, using a variety of greens, browns, and reds, and create texture with short, broken strokes.
step 06
Paint the bridge and figure, using a mix of grays and browns, and add details like the railings and clothing.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · sap green

Mix blues and whites for the sky and house. Use burnt umber and white for the bridge and figure. Vary greens with yellow ochre and blue for foliage. Add small amounts of red to browns for tree trunks.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the spontaneity of the brushwork.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.
→Not paying attention to the relative sizes and positions of the objects in the scene.