Rue du Marais, Nocturne

Have you ever wondered why so many painters avoid the night? Many of my students tell me they are a bit scared of dark scenes. They think it is too hard to get the light right. But I think a nocturne is one of the most exciting things you can do with your brushes. This painting of Rue du Marais in Ouistreham is a great example of how you can make a street come alive after the sun goes down.

I started this piece by thinking about the big contrast between the dark sky and the bright street lamp. To get that deep blue in the sky, I used a mix of Ultramarine Blue and a little bit of Neutral Tint. It is important to leave the white of the paper for the brightest part of the light. If you look at the lamp, you can see how the light spreads out. I used some dry brush strokes to make those rays of light look like they are shining right at you.

The buildings in this street have a soft glow on them. I used some Yellow Ochre and a tiny bit of Burnt Sienna to show the warmth of the artificial light hitting the walls. I also put in some very dark shadows under the cars. Using a dark mix of Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue helps to ground the objects. It makes the cars look heavy and real. Without those deep shadows, the painting would look a bit flat.

For the greenery on the right, I did not just use one green. I mixed some Viridian Green with a touch of blue to keep it looking cool. I also used a little bit of white paint at the very end. This is a great trick for adding tiny highlights on the edges of the roofs or the tops of the cars. It really helps to pull the whole story together. Do not be afraid of the dark, just remember to keep your light areas very clean.

This original painting is currently for sale.