plate no. 5695
Defender
Antonio Jacobsen, 1908
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the boats and the horizon line.
- step 02
Establish the sky with light blue and white, blending for soft clouds.
- step 03
Block in the water using varying shades of blue and green, indicating the wave patterns.
- step 04
Paint the sails with off-white, adding subtle shadows to suggest form.
- step 05
Add the boat hulls, paying attention to highlights and reflections.
- step 06
Paint the masts and rigging with thin lines of brown and black.
- step 07
Add details to the background ships and boats.
- step 08
Refine the water and add final highlights to the sails and boat hulls.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · payne's gray
Mix blues and whites for the sky, varying the proportions for different cloud tones. Use raw umber and white to create the off-white color for the sails. Mix blues, greens, and browns for the water, adding white for highlights.
techniques
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the clouds, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Making the water too uniform in color, losing the sense of movement.
- →Failing to accurately depict the perspective of the boats.
- →Using pure white for the sails, which can look flat and unrealistic.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g. Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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