plate no. 9564

At the Beach

William James Glackens, 1910

oilNew Realismgenre paintingbeachbuildingsfigureslandscapehousesvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve nuanced hues and in capturing light and shadow to create depth and form. It also encourages simplification of details and expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the buildings and figures.
step 02
Block in the main color areas, starting with the sky and ground.
step 03
Add the colors for the buildings, using a variety of warm tones.
step 04
Paint the figures, focusing on capturing their gestures and poses.
step 05
Develop the details of the vegetation, using short, expressive brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the light and shadow, adding highlights and dark accents.
step 07
Add final details, such as the windows and the texture of the sand.
step 08
Step back and adjust the overall composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · titanium white

secondary · viridian green · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow

Mix various shades of orange and red by combining cadmium red and yellow ochre. Achieve greens by mixing ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques