plate no. 8119

Canal Scene near Accrington

L. S. Lowry, 1939

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)cityscapebuildingscanalboatsfiguresskydocks

some experience helpful

This painting is great for learning about simplifying complex scenes and creating a sense of depth using atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a stylized, simplified manner.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, canal, and docks, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin, neutral gray wash.
step 03
Paint the large red building, mixing a muted red and adding subtle variations in tone.
step 04
Add the other buildings, using a limited palette of grays, yellows, and whites.
step 05
Paint the canal with horizontal strokes, varying the tones to suggest depth and reflections.
step 06
Add the boats and docks, using dark colors and simple shapes.
step 07
Paint the figures with simple lines and blocks of color.
step 08
Add final details, such as windows, doors, and masts.

color palette

primary · red oxide · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · payne's gray

Achieve the muted colors by mixing complementary colors (red/green, yellow/purple, blue/orange) with white or gray. For the canal, mix greens and browns with white to create a range of muted tones.

techniques