plate no. 5112

Emard Salmon Cannery

Sydney Laurence, 1915

oilRomanticismlandscapeskywaterlandscapebuildingssunsetclouds

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve atmospheric perspective and learn to suggest detail with loose brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of the buildings and river.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes, blending the purples, pinks, and yellows.
step 03
Establish the water and land masses with their respective base colors, paying attention to the reflected light.
step 04
Add the buildings, using a darker value for the shadows and a lighter value for the illuminated areas.
step 05
Define the river's path with varying shades of pink and purple, suggesting reflections.
step 06
Develop the foreground foliage with darker greens and browns, using broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Refine the details of the sky and water, softening edges and adding subtle color variations.
step 08
Add final highlights to the buildings and foliage to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · sap green · cadmium yellow light

Mix purples by combining ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson, and achieve the pinks by adding white to the purple. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber to create the earth tones.

techniques