plate no. 1491
End of the Parade, Coatesville, Pa.
Charles Demuth, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in geometric abstraction, color blocking, and creating depth through overlapping shapes and subtle value changes. It also encourages careful observation of architectural forms and industrial landscapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic geometric shapes and lines of the buildings and smokestacks, paying attention to perspective and proportion.
- step 02
Divide the sky into geometric sections as seen in the original, and lightly sketch the cloud shapes.
- step 03
Begin blocking in the larger areas of color, starting with the sky and the background buildings.
- step 04
Mix the various shades of gray, brown, and beige needed for the buildings, using a limited palette.
- step 05
Carefully paint the black smokestacks, ensuring clean, straight lines.
- step 06
Add the details of the windows and other architectural elements.
- step 07
Refine the shapes of the smoke and clouds, using soft blending techniques.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · gray · black · beige · light blue
secondary · brown · red · white
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white with small amounts of blue or brown. Achieve beige tones by mixing white, yellow, and a touch of brown. The subtle color variations are key to the painting's depth.
techniques
- ·geometric abstraction
- ·color blocking
- ·linear perspective
- ·subtle blending
- ·hard-edge painting
common pitfalls
- →Inaccurate proportions of buildings and smokestacks.
- →Uneven color application.
- →Over-blending the clouds, losing their geometric form.
- →Neglecting subtle value changes.
- →Not using a ruler for straight lines.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·graphite pencil
- ·ruler
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·acrylic or oil paints (gray, black, beige, light blue, brown, red, white)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·medium (for oil paints)
Using a smooth canvas will help achieve the clean lines and smooth color transitions. Acrylics are faster drying and easier to clean, while oils offer richer colors and blending capabilities.
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