plate no. 7495

Keswick Siding

Jeffrey Smart, 1945

oil, canvasPrecisionismcityscapebuildingrailroadtracksskysmokeindustrial

From the record

Institution: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Location: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Inception: 1945

Wikidata item Q20487420

from the sources

The work is signed and dated at the lower right corner in brown oil as 'JEFF SMART 45'. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“Signed and dated l.r. corner, brown oil "JEFF SMART 45".”
Smart had seen the Keswick siding many times from the suburban train between Unley Park and Adelaide when he was very young. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“When I was very young, I had seen Keswick siding many times from the suburban train between Unley Park and Adelaide.”
To paint the siding, Smart had to get off at Keswick station and climb down from the platform with his equipment, as the siding was on railway property. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“The siding was on railway property, so I had to get off at Keswick station and climb down from the platform with my easel and gear and camera, and walk along the tracks with trains rushing past.”
The painting is an example of Smart's painterly impasto approach, which preceded his later 'eggshell' finish. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“However, it is also an example of the painterly impasto approach that preceded his shift in technique to the 'eggshell' finish characteristic of his mature style.”
The painting reflects Smart's absorption of old master painting techniques from teachers at the South Australian School of Art. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“It reflects his absorption of old master painting techniques from teachers at the South Australian School of Art, Marie Tuck (pupil of Rupert Bunny) and Ivor Hele.”
The painting was a gift of Charles B Moses to the Art Gallery of NSW in 1982. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
“Gift of Charles B Moses 1982”

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the building, the hill, the railroad tracks, and the horizon line.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the sky, building, and ground using thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up the texture on the hill with short, visible brushstrokes, layering different shades of brown, ochre, and green.
step 04
Paint the building, paying attention to the geometric forms and the shadows created by the overhanging roof.
step 05
Add the details of the railroad tracks, using perspective to create depth.
step 06
Create the atmospheric effect of the smoke by layering thin washes of brown and grey.
step 07
Add the smaller details like the signal and the distant buildings.
step 08
Refine the values and details, paying attention to the overall tonal harmony.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · payne's gray · yellow ochre · sap green

Achieve the muted tones by mixing browns with grays and whites. Use thin washes of color to create the atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·atmospheric perspective
·geometric simplification
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall tonal harmony.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of perspective in the railroad tracks.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Not creating enough depth in the sky and smoke.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, titanium white, payne's gray, yellow ochre, sap green)
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·linseed oil
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags