plate no. 4393

Fishermen

Marie Duhem, 1911

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapewaterboatfiguresmountainsskypier

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and broken color techniques. It also provides practice in capturing reflections in water and simplifying complex scenes.

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 placement of the boat, pier, and mountains.
step 02
Establish the sky and water with broad, blended strokes of light blue and gray.
step 03
Block in the mountains using a mix of blues, purples, and greens, paying attention to value changes to create depth.
step 04
Add the pier and boat, using darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 05
Paint the figures on the pier, simplifying their forms and focusing on their overall shape.
step 06
Create reflections in the water using similar colors to the objects above, but with softer edges and slightly darker values.
step 07
Add details such as the masts of the boat and the small structure in the water.
step 08
Refine the brushwork and add final touches to create a sense of atmosphere and light.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · violet

Mix blues and whites for the sky and water. Use raw umber and white to create the pier. Add touches of yellow ochre and burnt sienna for warmth. Mix violet with white for the mountains.

techniques

·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·simplified forms

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of the scene.
→Failing to create a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
→Incorrect proportions of the boat and pier.