plate no. 8322

Vor dem Café (Berlin bei Nacht)

Lesser Ury, 1920

oilImpressionismgenre paintingcityscapenightfigurescarsreflectionsbuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing atmospheric perspective and rendering reflections in wet surfaces. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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 placement of the buildings, figures, and cars.
step 02
Establish the dark areas with a thin wash of dark brown or blue.
step 03
Block in the large areas of yellow light from the cafe windows.
step 04
Begin adding details to the figures and cars, using darker values to define their forms.
step 05
Create the reflections in the wet street using horizontal strokes of yellow and dark browns.
step 06
Add highlights to the figures and cars to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to capture the mood of the scene.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · titanium white · cadmium yellow · raw sienna

Mix various shades of brown and blue for the dark areas. Use yellow ochre and cadmium yellow for the warm light, and mix with white to create highlights. Use ultramarine and burnt umber to create dark neutrals.

techniques