plate no. 5187

Yard at winter

Mikhail Vrubel, 1904

pencil, paperRealismcityscapebuildingstreessnowfencecityscapewinter

suitable for beginners

This drawing helps develop observational skills and understanding of perspective through line work and shading. It also teaches how to create depth and texture using varying pencil pressure and stroke direction.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 4 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the overall layout of the buildings, fence, and trees.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points to guide the perspective.
step 03
Begin adding darker lines to define the outlines of the buildings and fence, paying attention to the angles and proportions.
step 04
Use hatching and cross-hatching to create shadows and volume on the buildings and snow.
step 05
Add details to the trees, using thin, gestural lines to represent the branches.
step 06
Vary the pencil pressure to create different values and add depth to the drawing.
step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches to enhance the overall composition.
step 08
Erase any unnecessary guidelines and clean up the drawing.