plate no. 6964
Breaking Surf
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing dynamic movement and using expressive brushstrokes to create texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the basic shapes of the rocks and wave.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of gray and blue.
- step 03
Establish the dark blue of the ocean, leaving space for the wave.
- step 04
Roughly block in the dark masses of the rocks with browns and greens.
- step 05
Begin building the wave with white and light blue, focusing on the overall shape.
- step 06
Add darker values to the wave to create depth and form.
- step 07
Refine the details of the rocks and the foam around them.
- step 08
Add final highlights to the wave and rocks to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber
secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray
Mix various shades of blue by combining ultramarine with white and a touch of burnt umber. Create grays by mixing white, burnt umber, and a small amount of blue. Use yellow ochre to warm up the browns and create highlights on the rocks.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the wave, losing the sense of movement.
- →Making the rocks too detailed and distracting from the wave.
- →Not establishing a strong value structure early on.
- →Using too much detail in the background.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·payne's gray oil paint
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
A slightly textured canvas will help with the dry brush technique. Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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