plate no. 1103

Evening at Weesperzijde Sun

Piet Mondrian, 1900

oilImpressionismlandscapeboatwaterskybuildingslandscapereflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create a sense of depth using subtle value and color shifts. It also provides practice in capturing reflections in water and simplifying complex shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the boat, the distant buildings, and the shoreline.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of pale blue-grey.
step 03
Establish the water with horizontal strokes of varying blues and browns, leaving space for reflections.
step 04
Paint the distant buildings with muted browns and greys, keeping them soft and indistinct.
step 05
Focus on the boat, building up layers of brown and grey to define its form and texture.
step 06
Add the boat's rigging with thin, dark lines.
step 07
Create reflections in the water using slightly darker and blurred versions of the objects above.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to enhance the sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Mix various shades of grey by combining white, umber, and a touch of blue. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna to warm the browns for the boat and shoreline. Add more white to the blues for the sky.

techniques