plate no. 6338

Fishing for Sprats in Winter at Douarnenez

Maxime Maufra, 1905

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapecoastlineboatstreeswatercliffssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to depict distance. It also provides practice in capturing the movement of water and the shapes of boats.

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 major landforms.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and purples, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the base colors for the water, using greens, blues, and grays.
step 04
Define the land masses with browns, greens, and reds, varying the hues to suggest depth.
step 05
Add details to the cliffs and vegetation using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the boats with dark colors, paying attention to their reflections in the water.
step 07
Add highlights to the water and rocks to create a sense of light and movement.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create a cohesive and atmospheric painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

secondary · viridian green · cadmium red · titanium white

Mix greens by blending yellow ochre and viridian green. Achieve muted tones by adding a touch of complementary color (e.g., red to green).

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·atmospheric perspective
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Creating mud by over-mixing colors on the palette.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the water and land.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, viridian green, cadmium red, titanium white)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags