plate no. 5000
Winter evening
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in capturing the effects of light on snow and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. Students can learn to simplify complex forms into basic shapes and use expressive brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the road, focusing on perspective.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a mix of gray and white, establishing the overall tone.
- step 03
Establish the dark values of the buildings and figures, using a mix of browns and blues.
- step 04
Apply the base color for the snow, a mix of white with hints of blue and gray.
- step 05
Add highlights to the snow using thicker paint and brighter whites, following the direction of light.
- step 06
Paint the warm light emanating from the windows, using yellows, oranges, and reds.
- step 07
Refine the details of the figures and buildings, adding texture and definition with visible brushstrokes.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · cadmium yellow · cadmium red · ivory black
Mix white with small amounts of blue and umber for cool snow shadows. Use yellow and red to create the warm glow of the interior lights. Vary the amount of white to create different values of gray for the sky.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·impasto
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the snow and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of winter.
- →Ignoring the perspective and creating a flat, unrealistic composition.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in the snow's color and texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for visible brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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