plate no. 3537

View of Brussels from the North East

oil, oakBaroquelandscapelandscapecityscapebuildingsskytreeshill

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering techniques to create depth. It also provides practice in rendering complex forms with a limited color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare the canvas with a warm, toned ground.
step 02
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major shapes of the buildings and landscape.
step 03
Block in the sky with a thin wash of muted purples and grays, allowing some of the toned ground to show through.
step 04
Establish the dark masses of the buildings and trees using a mix of burnt umber and a touch of black.
step 05
Begin layering lighter tones onto the landscape and buildings to suggest form and light, using a dry brush technique.
step 06
Add subtle details to the buildings and trees, focusing on capturing their overall shape rather than precise details.
step 07
Refine the sky with additional layers of color, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final highlights to the foreground to create a sense of depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · ivory black

Achieve muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white sparingly to avoid overly bright colors. Create atmospheric perspective by adding blue to distant objects.

techniques