plate no. 7737

Winter Day at Helsinki Market Square, Study

oilRealismgenre paintingmarketfiguressnowbuildingshorsesboats

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing atmospheric perspective and simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and values. It's a good exercise in limited palette painting and capturing the essence of a scene with loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the horizon line and major elements.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme with a thin wash of diluted paint.
step 03
Block in the large areas of snow, sky, and buildings, paying attention to value relationships.
step 04
Add details to the buildings and boats in the background, using smaller brushes.
step 05
Paint the figures and horses in the foreground, simplifying their forms and focusing on their silhouettes.
step 06
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and interest.
step 07
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
step 08
Allow to dry and varnish (optional).

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and burnt sienna to create various shades of gray and beige for the snow and sky. Use ultramarine blue to cool down the whites and create shadows.

techniques

·alla prima
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·limited palette

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Making the snow too white and flat, neglecting the subtle color variations.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure, resulting in a muddy or unclear image.
→Getting bogged down in details of the figures instead of focusing on the overall impression.