plate no. 2917
View of Moscow from the house of G.I. Chludov
Alexey Bogolyubov, 1878
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering complex scenes with many details. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in tone and value.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major shapes.
- step 02
Establish the sky with a light blue wash, blending towards the horizon.
- step 03
Block in the distant cityscape with muted colors, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
- step 04
Define the path and foreground elements with warmer tones.
- step 05
Add details to the buildings and trees, using smaller brushes.
- step 06
Introduce figures and architectural details like the lion statues.
- step 07
Refine the overall color harmony and value relationships.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · yellow ochre · titanium white · cadmium red
Achieve the muted colors of the cityscape by mixing the primary colors with white. Use more blue and umber for distant elements to create atmospheric perspective. Mix red and yellow ochre for the path.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details too early.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Using colors that are too saturated for the distant elements.
- →Ignoring atmospheric perspective, which flattens the image.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a pre-toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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