plate no. 6704

View over Wilder's Square, Christianshavn

Edvard Weie, 1906

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingswaterboatscityscapeskyrooftops

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes. It's a good exercise in capturing light and shadow in an urban landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, focusing on the buildings and water.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, water, and buildings using thin washes.
step 03
Start building up layers of color, focusing on the light and shadow on the buildings.
step 04
Mix colors to match the subtle variations in the rooftops and walls.
step 05
Add details like the boats and reflections in the water.
step 06
Refine the brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
step 07
Pay attention to the edges of shapes, softening some and sharpening others.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · raw umber · viridian

Mix various combinations of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white for the building facades. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding touches of yellow ochre for warmth. Mix burnt sienna and cadmium red for the rooftops.

techniques

·blocking in
·layering
·dry brushing
·color mixing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Not paying attention to the values (light and dark).
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, cadmium red, raw umber)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brushes (#6, #8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife