plate no. 3164

Village Street, Vaudreuil

Gustave Loiseau, 1903

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismcityscapebuildingsstreettreesskylandscapevillage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in broken color techniques and capturing light and shadow using short, textured brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex forms into dabs of color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, road, and trees, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue, leaving some areas lighter for clouds.
step 03
Start applying the base colors for the buildings and road using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 04
Build up layers of color on the buildings, adding variations of yellows, oranges, and browns to create depth and texture.
step 05
Paint the trees and foliage using a mix of greens, blues, and yellows, focusing on the overall shape and texture rather than individual leaves.
step 06
Add shadows to the buildings and road using darker shades of the base colors.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 08
Step back and assess the painting, making any necessary adjustments to the colors and values.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow light · raw umber

Achieve the various greens by mixing blues and yellows, and create earth tones by combining burnt sienna with blues and yellows. Use white to lighten values and create highlights.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·pointillism

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, which can result in a muddy effect.
→Focusing too much on detail and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough, which can make the painting look flat.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white, sap green)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags