plate no. 9655

Karelia. Kurazanda

Petros Malayan, 1969

oilExpressionismlandscapeboatsbuildingsfiguredocklandscapewater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice loose brushwork and creating a sense of atmosphere with a limited color palette. It also provides an opportunity to study perspective and composition with multiple elements.

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: buildings, boat, dock, and figure, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted grey/brown to establish the overall tonal value of the scene.
step 03
Begin adding darker values to the buildings and dock, using visible brushstrokes to define the wood grain.
step 04
Paint the boat with blues and greys, creating highlights and shadows to give it form.
step 05
Add the figure, focusing on capturing the pose and silhouette rather than precise details.
step 06
Refine the details of the dock and buildings, adding texture and variation with dry brush techniques.
step 07
Add subtle color variations to the sky and water to create depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to enhance the overall composition.

color palette

primary · grey · blue · brown

secondary · yellow ochre · white

Mix greys by combining complementary colors like blue and brown. Use white to lighten values and create highlights. Yellow ochre can be used to add warmth to the browns and greys.

techniques

·dry brush
·wet-on-dry
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·limited palette

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints (grey, blue, brown, yellow ochre, white)
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brush
·water container
·palette
·paper towels

optional

·palette knife
·masking fluid
·kneaded eraser

Using a textured watercolor paper will enhance the dry brush effect. Consider using a limited palette of only a few colors to simplify the mixing process.

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