plate no. 3659

Vilna under the snow

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)cityscapesnowbuildingfigureskywintercityscape

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to depict snow with subtle color variations. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective of the road and the building.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light grey wash, allowing for variations in tone.
step 03
Paint the building with a light beige or off-white, indicating shadows with cooler tones.
step 04
Lay down the base color for the snow, using a mix of white and a touch of blue or grey.
step 05
Add shadows and variations in the snow using cooler blues and purples.
step 06
Paint the figures with simple shapes and dark colors.
step 07
Add details to the building and the fence, using a fine brush.
step 08
Refine the shadows and highlights to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · payne's gray · raw umber

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium red light

Mix white with small amounts of blue or grey to create the snow shadows. Use raw umber and burnt sienna for the building, and add white to lighten the tones.

techniques