plate no. 6769

View of London with St. Paul's

oilRomanticismcityscapecityscapewaterboatsbuildingsskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering reflections in water. It also provides practice in depicting complex architectural details and the subtle gradations of light in the sky.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of St. Paul's Cathedral, the tower, and the main boats.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the general shapes of the buildings and clouds.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, water, and buildings, paying attention to value differences.
step 04
Begin adding details to St. Paul's Cathedral and the other buildings in the distance, using a smaller brush.
step 05
Work on the tower and boats in the foreground, adding details and shadows.
step 06
Create the reflections in the water, using horizontal brushstrokes and slightly darker values.
step 07
Add the figures and other small details to the boats and docks.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix various shades of gray and blue for the sky and water. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the buildings and boats, adding white to lighten the values. Create subtle color variations by mixing small amounts of other colors into the primary palette.

techniques