plate no. 1489
Afternoon in the Tuileries Gardens
Adolph Menzel, 1867
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting crowds and rendering light filtering through trees. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of figures with loose brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
1
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main areas: trees, ground, and general figure placement.
- step 02
Establish the dark areas under the trees with a thin wash of burnt umber and raw sienna.
- step 03
Block in the general colors of the crowd, focusing on value rather than detail.
- step 04
Start defining the trees, using a mix of greens, browns, and yellows, applied with broken brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add highlights to the figures and ground where the light hits.
- step 06
Refine the shapes of the figures, adding details like hats and clothing folds with small brushstrokes.
- step 07
Introduce subtle color variations within the shadows and highlights.
- step 08
Add final details like dogs and other small elements.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · sap green · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Achieve the greens by mixing yellow ochre with ultramarine blue and a touch of burnt umber. Use burnt umber and raw sienna for the shadows. Mix white with small amounts of red, blue, or yellow to create the various skin tones and clothing colors.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·alla prima
- ·implied detail
common pitfalls
- →Getting bogged down in details too early.
- →Making the colors too saturated and bright.
- →Not establishing a clear value structure.
- →Losing the sense of light and atmosphere.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·medium alkyd
Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for texture. Consider using a toned canvas (e.g., raw umber wash) to establish a base tone.
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