plate no. 0654

View from the National Gallery

oil, canvasRealismcityscapecityscapebuildingsstatuessnowfiguresarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective, creating depth through tonal variations, and rendering architectural details with simplified forms. It also provides practice in capturing a sense of light and atmosphere in a cityscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the basic composition and perspective lines.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and areas of color, focusing on the overall tonal values.
step 03
Establish the sky and atmospheric haze with thin washes of color.
step 04
Develop the buildings and architectural details, paying attention to perspective and proportion.
step 05
Add the statues and figures, simplifying their forms and focusing on their silhouettes.
step 06
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Glaze thin layers of color to unify the painting and create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve the muted tones by mixing yellow ochre, raw umber, and white in varying proportions. Use burnt sienna to add warmth and ivory black to create shadows and darker values.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·tonal painting
·glazing
·dry brushing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of atmospheric perspective.
→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the initial washes.
→Creating colors that are too saturated.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, burnt sienna, ivory black)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags