This
painting is done on canvas, size is 40 cm by 30 cm and I done it as a
study to find the best color palette and to learn how to approach to a
larger street view painting. With intention to share my practices I show
below the main steps.
1. Adding perspective lines and color values. Is done on canvas, size 40 cm by 30 cm. For the beginning I draw the horizon line (at the eye level). If
we are outdoors we use the horizon as a point of reference to judge the
scale and distance of objects in relation to us. On canvas the objects
are drawn smaller as their distance from us, as observer, increases.
Being a picture of a road surrendered by buildings I decided to paint it
in one point perspective so the next step was to set the vanishing
point - on the horizon line where the road and buildings appears to
converge at a single point and to draw also the lines which
are parallel in real life but must intersect at the vanishing point on
the canvas and also some vertical lines meaning vertical margins of the
buildings and other objects. I didn't spend too much time on this phase
and I start to add colors diluted with linseed oil to have the first
layer representing light and shadow areas of the painting. I add first
the light values (the sky and sky reflection on the wet road) and the
dark values (buildings in shadow on the left and right side) - in this
way I establish the limits of values and later I add colors for
transition between (middle values). I used for the first time the full
color palete selected for this painting. Result is below:
3. Making the sunset. Adding lights on windows and opened shops, a lot of lights with cadmium yellow with sparks of titanium white and vermillion, adding shadows - of the people walking and talking on street - painted with earth tones - all this stuff make the atmosphere of that part of the day.
4. Adding details and making the atmosphere.
The last step before finishing the painting was to create the atmosphere of a foggy evening after the rain. I used again diluted paints applied on almost dry canvas and adding reflections for objects on the wet like road. In addition I add details to people and buildings and two more personages in front - later removed. Decision to remove them from this painting is subjective - intention being to do not make it too crowded.
5. Finishing the painting.
Is quite a subjective declaration - a lot more can be done but there is
a time when the artist must admit that is time to stop working on a
painting and to keep all ideas for the next one. As a rule of togue I
admit my paintings as finished when my whife - as my confident fine
observer and supporter - tells me to let it as it is if I don't want to
destroy everything I work on it.Below is the result after making last
touches.
