plate no. 1690

Gardens In The Pound, Cookham

Stanley Spencer, 1936

oilNeo-Romanticismcityscapegardenflowersbuildingsstreetfencebrick wall

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing to achieve realistic brick and foliage tones, and rendering textures like brick, stone, and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to perspective lines for the buildings, street, and fence.
step 02
Block in the main shapes of the buildings, garden beds, and street with diluted washes of color.
step 03
Establish the darkest and lightest values in the painting to create a sense of depth and form.
step 04
Begin adding details to the brickwork, using varying shades of red, brown, and gray.
step 05
Paint the foliage, focusing on capturing the different greens and textures of the leaves.
step 06
Add the red flowers, using a brighter red and paying attention to the shapes and forms of the petals.
step 07
Refine the details of the fence and other architectural elements.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of realism.

color palette

primary · red · green · brown · gray

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Achieve brick tones by mixing red, brown, and gray. Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and adjust with browns and reds to create natural variations.

techniques