plate no. 2396

Vue de Notre-Dame de Paris depuis les Quais

watercolor, charcoalImpressionismcityscapeNotre-Dameriverboatsbridgebuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details with loose, impressionistic brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: Notre-Dame, the bridge, the boats, and the riverbank.
step 02
Establish the overall warm tone of the sky and the water with a diluted wash.
step 03
Add darker washes to define the shadows and the architectural details of Notre-Dame.
step 04
Paint the bridge and the riverbank, paying attention to the reflected light.
step 05
Add details to the boats, using darker tones to create depth and form.
step 06
Use dry brush techniques to create texture in the buildings and foliage.
step 07
Refine the reflections in the water with horizontal strokes.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to enhance the overall impression.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · Payne's gray

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix raw umber and Payne's gray for the darker architectural details. Use diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm tones of the sky and buildings. Add a touch of ultramarine to Payne's gray for cooler shadows in the water.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering reflections
·charcoal sketching

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Making the colors too saturated and not achieving the muted, atmospheric effect.
→Ignoring the importance of reflected light in the water.
→Not establishing a clear value structure, resulting in a flat painting.