plate no. 8670

Fishing Port, Gloucester

John French Sloan, 1916

oil, canvasNew Realismcityscapebuildingswaterboatsskyharborcityscape

some experience helpful

This painting is a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and practicing color mixing to achieve realistic yet expressive tones. Students will also learn about creating depth through atmospheric perspective and varying brushstrokes.

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 harbor, buildings, and sky.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the blue of the sky and water, the greens and browns of the buildings.
step 03
Establish the darkest darks and lightest lights to create a value structure.
step 04
Refine the shapes of the buildings and add details like windows and roofs.
step 05
Add details to the water, including reflections and ripples.
step 06
Paint the boats and masts, paying attention to their perspective.
step 07
Add the clouds in the sky, using soft, blended brushstrokes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to colors and values to create a cohesive painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix blues and whites for the sky and water, varying the proportions to create different shades. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the buildings, adding touches of red or green to create variation. Mix greens from blue and yellow.

techniques