plate no. 0427

Bec de l’Aigle, La Ciotat

Othon Friesz, 1907

oilFauvismlandscapemountainstreesbuildingslandscapeskyvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive color mixing and applying bold, visible brushstrokes to define form and texture. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

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, trees, and buildings, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue and white, leaving some areas unpainted for cloud effects.
step 03
Apply the dominant colors to the mountain, using pink, orange, and yellow to create a sense of form and light.
step 04
Paint the trees and foliage with a variety of greens, yellows, and blues, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Add the buildings and other details, using red, white, and brown to define their shapes and textures.
step 06
Refine the colors and values, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Use darker colors to define the outlines of the shapes and create contrast.
step 08
Step back and assess the overall composition, making any necessary adjustments to the colors, values, or shapes.

color palette

primary · pink · yellow · blue · green

secondary · orange · red · white · brown

Achieve the vibrant pinks by mixing red and white, and create the various greens by mixing blue and yellow with small amounts of red or brown to adjust the tone.

techniques