plate no. 4422

Dimanche à la Plage

Kees van Dongen, 1900

oilPost-Impressionismgenre paintingbeachfiguresumbrellasseaskycrowd

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying complex scenes and using color to create mood and atmosphere. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a loose, expressive style.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition: horizon line, placement of umbrellas, and general figure groupings.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the sky, sea, and sand with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the umbrella colors using bold, unmixed hues.
step 04
Begin adding figures, focusing on their general shapes and colors rather than precise details.
step 05
Use short, broken brushstrokes to suggest the texture of clothing and the movement of the crowd.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the shapes of the figures and umbrellas, paying attention to their relationships to each other.
step 08
Add final details, such as facial features and patterns on clothing, sparingly.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian green

secondary · titanium white · burnt umber · alizarin crimson

Mix various shades of gray for the sky and sand by combining white, umber, and small amounts of blue or red. Use white to lighten the primary colors for highlights and create pastel shades for clothing.

techniques