plate no. 8364

View of Le Cannet, Roofs

Pierre Bonnard, 1942

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapecityscapebuildingslandscapeskytreesmountains

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, layering, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major shapes of the buildings and mountains.
step 02
Block in the sky and mountain areas with diluted washes of blue and white.
step 03
Establish the general color scheme of the cityscape using broad strokes of orange, yellow, and pink.
step 04
Add layers of green and yellow to represent the foliage and trees.
step 05
Define the rooftops with more saturated shades of red and orange.
step 06
Introduce darker values to create shadows and depth within the cityscape.
step 07
Add details to the foreground elements, such as the figures and vegetation.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust colors as needed to achieve a harmonious balance.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · cadmium orange · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

secondary · viridian green · titanium white · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of green by combining blue and yellow. Achieve the warm tones of the rooftops by blending red, orange, and yellow. Use white to lighten colors and create atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·color layering
·impressionistic brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Using too much detail
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing
→Ignoring the overall color harmony

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (cerulean blue, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, viridian green, titanium white, yellow ochre)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine

optional