plate no. 7606

At the Beach

Edward Henry Potthast, 1918

oilImpressionismgenre paintingbeachoceanfigureswavessandsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing movement and using broken color to depict light and atmosphere. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into impressionistic brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, ocean, sand, and figures, using thin washes.
step 03
Start building up the waves with thicker paint, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 04
Add details to the figures, focusing on capturing their movement and form.
step 05
Refine the colors and values in the sky and sand, adding subtle variations.
step 06
Create the impression of water splashing around the figures' feet.
step 07
Add highlights to the waves and figures to create a sense of light.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · viridian green · cadmium orange · alizarin crimson

Mix blues and whites with touches of yellow ochre for the sky. Use viridian green and ultramarine blue for the ocean, adding white for highlights. Mix burnt umber and cadmium orange for the figures' skin tones and clothing.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·alla prima
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to capture the sense of movement in the figures and waves.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky and sand.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, viridian green)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brushes (#4, #8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags