plate no. 2260

Winter Evening

Konstantin Gorbatov, 1910

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismcityscapecityscapesnowbuildingsfigureswinterarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the mood of a winter scene. It also provides practice in depicting architectural details with loose, expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and street.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the overall composition.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color: sky, snow, buildings.
step 04
Develop the values, focusing on the light and shadow on the snow and buildings.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features.
step 06
Paint the figures and the horse-drawn cart in the foreground.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of depth.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow

Mix blues and whites for the snow and sky, adding touches of umber for shadows. Use sienna and ochre for the buildings, with yellow for the warm light emanating from the windows.

techniques