plate no. 7855
Honfleur, Sunrise at Harbour Entry
Johan Jongkind, 1863
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice atmospheric perspective and learn how to suggest detail with loose brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in capturing a mood with a limited palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a neutral gray or light brown.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the main shapes of the boats and lighthouse.
- step 03
Block in the sky with broad strokes, using a mix of blues, grays, and whites, paying attention to the cloud formations.
- step 04
Establish the water with horizontal strokes, reflecting the colors of the sky.
- step 05
Paint the large sailboat on the left, focusing on its silhouette and the reflections in the water.
- step 06
Add the smaller boats and the lighthouse in the distance, using progressively lighter values to create depth.
- step 07
Refine the details with smaller brushes, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber
Mix various shades of gray by combining ultramarine blue, raw umber, and titanium white. Use yellow ochre to warm up the grays and create subtle highlights.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky and water.
- →Making the distant objects too sharp and defined.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
A pre-toned canvas can be helpful for establishing the overall value range. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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