plate no. 7451
Early Sunday Morning
Edward Hopper, 1930
some experience helpful
This painting is great for practicing color mixing to achieve realistic hues and values, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective and how light affects color. Recreating this will help students understand how to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the buildings, windows, and street.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, focusing on the red brick, green storefronts, and the sky.
- step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
- step 04
Refine the colors and values, adding subtle variations and details to the brick and storefronts.
- step 05
Paint the details of the windows, barber pole, and fire hydrant.
- step 06
Add the shadows on the street, creating depth and dimension.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and contrast to match the original painting.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights.
color palette
primary · cadmium red · viridian green · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Mix cadmium red with burnt umber and a touch of ultramarine blue to achieve the brick color. Use viridian green and yellow ochre for the storefronts, adjusting the proportions for variations. Mix white with a touch of blue for the sky.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the buildings wrong.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.
- →Overworking the details.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (flat and round)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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