plate no. 2636
Gravesend Bay (aka The Lower Bay)
William Merritt Chase, 1889
some experience helpful
Students would develop atmospheric perspective skills and learn to paint water reflections while practicing subtle color temperature shifts in marine environments.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light pencil sketch of the pier structure and horizon line
- step 02
Block in the sky with pale blue-gray washes, working wet-on-wet
- step 03
Paint the water in horizontal bands, mixing blues and greens with subtle variations
- step 04
Establish the pier structure with darker browns and grays, noting perspective
- step 05
Add the small boats as simple shapes with basic local colors
- step 06
Refine water reflections beneath the pier with vertical brushstrokes
- step 07
Add atmospheric details to the distant shoreline
- step 08
Finish with subtle highlights on water surface and pier details
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue
Mix grayed blues for water by adding small amounts of burnt sienna to cerulean blue; create atmospheric grays by mixing complementary colors
techniques
- ·horizontal brushstrokes for calm water
- ·atmospheric perspective for distant elements
- ·wet-on-wet blending for sky
- ·vertical strokes for water reflections
- ·color temperature shifts for depth
common pitfalls
- →making water too bright or saturated
- →overworking the subtle sky gradations
- →making pier structure too dark or heavy
- →losing the sense of atmospheric haze
materials
surface · primed canvas or canvas board
required
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·#4 flat brush
- ·#2 round brush
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·canvas 16x12
optional
- ·palette knife for mixing
- ·painting medium
- ·viridian green
- ·#6 filbert brush
A smooth canvas surface works well for the subtle gradations in this marine scene
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