plate no. 8373

Grey Day on the River (also Known as Two Ladies in a Boat)

Frederick Carl Frieseke, 1908

oilImpressionismgenre paintingfiguresboatwatertreesreflectionfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice broken brushstroke techniques to capture the impressionistic style. Students will also learn how to suggest reflections in water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the boat, figures, and major landscape elements.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in large areas of color, focusing on the water, foliage, and sky.
step 03
Begin layering colors to create depth and variation in the foliage and water, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 04
Add details to the figures in the boat, paying attention to the light and shadow on their clothing.
step 05
Create the reflections in the water, mirroring the colors and shapes above, but with a slightly blurred and distorted effect.
step 06
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors as needed to achieve a harmonious and balanced composition.
step 08
Add final touches and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · alizarin crimson

secondary · viridian green · cadmium yellow

Mix various shades of green by combining blue and yellow. Achieve the pinks and purples in the figures and reflections by mixing red and blue with white. Use yellow ochre to create warm highlights and earthy tones.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·color layering
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·suggesting reflections

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value.
→Making the reflections too sharp and defined.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, alizarin crimson, viridian green, cadmium yellow)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife