plate no. 4409

Winter Evening at Söder, Stockholm

oilImpressionismcityscapesnowrooftopscityscapenightbuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the subtle color variations in snow and night scenes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and distance using value and color temperature.

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 of the rooftops and buildings, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darks and lights with thin washes of color.
step 03
Mix a range of cool blues and grays for the sky and snow, and warm browns and oranges for the buildings and lights.
step 04
Begin layering the paint, building up the texture and detail of the snow-covered roofs with visible brushstrokes.
step 05
Add the warm light emanating from the windows, using small touches of orange and yellow.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings and chimneys, paying attention to their shapes and proportions.
step 07
Soften the edges of the forms to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the contrast and create a sense of realism.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium orange

Mix blues and umber with white for the cool snow shadows. Use yellow ochre and cadmium orange to create the warm glow of the lights. Vary the proportions to achieve subtle color variations.

techniques