plate no. 0900

View of Marly le Roi from House at Coeur Colant

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapehousetreeslandscapeskyfigurecityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture atmospheric perspective. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the house, trees, and distant cityscape using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, varying the tone slightly to suggest clouds.
step 03
Establish the main color masses for the house, using browns and creams, and the trees, using yellows, oranges, and greens.
step 04
Begin layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth in the foliage and ground.
step 05
Mix and apply colors for the distant cityscape, focusing on muted tones to create atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Add details to the house, such as the balcony and window frames, using smaller brushes.
step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 08
Add final touches, such as the figure and wheelbarrow, using small, deliberate brushstrokes.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · cadmium orange · viridian green

Mix various shades of blue and white for the sky. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber to create the browns for the house. Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and adjust the tone with white or burnt umber.

techniques

·Broken color
·Impasto
·Wet-on-wet blending
·Scumbling
·Atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in a harsh or unrealistic look.
→Neglecting the importance of value contrast in creating depth.
→Failing to simplify the complex details of the cityscape.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, viridian green)
·Assorted brushes (round and flat, various sizes)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags