plate no. 3760

View of Vienna, flour market of Southwest seen from northeast

oil, canvasRocococityscapecityscapebuildingsfiguresskystreetmarket

experienced study

Recreating this painting will develop skills in perspective drawing, atmospheric perspective, and rendering details in a complex scene. Students will also learn to mix subtle variations of earth tones to create depth and realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main buildings and street layout, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points.
step 03
Block in the sky with a thin wash of pale blue and gray.
step 04
Apply a base layer of burnt umber and raw sienna to the buildings and street, establishing the overall tone.
step 05
Begin adding details to the buildings, using lighter tones for highlights and darker tones for shadows.
step 06
Paint the figures and carriages in the street, simplifying their forms and focusing on their placement.
step 07
Add atmospheric perspective by lightening the colors of distant objects.
step 08
Refine details and add final touches, such as highlights on windows and figures.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the various earth tones by mixing burnt umber and raw sienna in different proportions. Add white to lighten the colors and blue to create cooler grays for the sky and distant buildings.

techniques

·linear perspective
·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, leading to distorted buildings.
→Overworking the details, resulting in a stiff and unnatural look.
→Failing to create enough atmospheric perspective, making the scene appear flat.
→Using colors that are too saturated, which will clash with the muted tones of the painting.