plate no. 9702

Canal Du Midi

oilExpressionismlandscapecanalwaterskycloudsbuildingsboat

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to capture light and atmosphere. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.

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: horizon line, location of buildings, boat, and clouds.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of blue and pink, leaving some canvas showing.
step 03
Establish the dark mass of the distant land and the lighter tones of the canal bank.
step 04
Paint the water with horizontal strokes, reflecting the colors of the sky and land.
step 05
Add the boat as a dark silhouette, with a suggestion of reflection in the water.
step 06
Define the buildings with vertical strokes of yellow and orange.
step 07
Add details to the clouds, using pinks and whites to create volume.
step 08
Refine the reflections in the water, adding small touches of color.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green

Mix blues and whites for the sky, yellows and oranges for the buildings, and reds and blues for the reflections. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques