plate no. 1634

Beach at Squam

John Henry Twachtman, 1900

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapebeachmountainwaterskylandscapewaves

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture atmospheric effects. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, shoreline, and water.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the overall composition.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, the mountain, the water, and the beach.
step 04
Start with the darkest values and gradually add lighter tones.
step 05
Use broken brushstrokes to create texture and suggest detail.
step 06
Focus on capturing the light and atmosphere rather than precise details.
step 07
Add highlights to the water and the mountain to create depth.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · viridian green

secondary · purple · yellow ochre · raw umber

Mix blue and white for the sky and water. Use green and blue for the mountain. Mix purple from blue and red for shadows on the mountain and beach. Add yellow ochre to white for the sandy areas.

techniques