plate no. 7420

Cape Cod Afternoon

Edward Hopper, 1936

oil, canvasNew Realismcityscapehousesgrassskyarchitecturetreelandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict light and shadow on architectural forms and how to create depth using color temperature and value changes in a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the houses and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, grass, and the main colors of the houses.
step 03
Establish the darkest shadows and lightest highlights to define the forms.
step 04
Develop the details of the houses, such as windows and architectural features.
step 05
Add texture to the grass using broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the sky with subtle color variations to suggest clouds.
step 07
Pay attention to the edges of the forms, softening some and sharpening others.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium yellow · sap green · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of cadmium yellow. Achieve the grays for the houses by mixing burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and white. Use more yellow ochre for the sunlit areas of the grass.

techniques

·blocking in
·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Making the colors too saturated.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky and grass.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, sap green, raw sienna)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags