plate no. 8495

Winter landscape with ice skaters in front of a city

oil, canvasBaroquelandscapebuildingsfiguresiceskywinterlandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering complex scenes with many figures. It also provides practice in mixing muted color palettes and creating a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes of the buildings, figures, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the basic value structure by blocking in the sky and the general tones of the buildings and ice.
step 03
Start adding details to the buildings, paying attention to the placement of windows and the texture of the roofs.
step 04
Begin painting the figures, focusing on their general shapes and positions before adding finer details.
step 05
Develop the ice surface, using layers of thin paint to create a sense of depth and reflection.
step 06
Refine the sky, blending the colors to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 07
Add final details to the figures, buildings, and ice, such as shadows, highlights, and textures.
step 08
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and enhance the atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red light · ivory black

Use raw umber and white for the buildings and ice. Mix Prussian blue with white and a touch of umber for the sky. Add small amounts of red and yellow to create the warmer tones in the figures and buildings.

techniques