plate no. 2904

La Marne et les bateaux lavoirs à Lagny

oilImpressionismlandscaperiverbuildingsbridgetreesskyboats

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture the light and reflections on the water. It also provides an opportunity to learn about atmospheric perspective and simplifying complex scenes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the river, buildings, bridge, and trees.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and grey tones, using loose brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the base color of the water with varying shades of blue, creating horizontal strokes to suggest movement.
step 04
Add the distant buildings and trees with simplified shapes and muted colors, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Paint the bridge with its reflections in the water, using warm tones for the bridge and cooler tones for the reflections.
step 06
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and roofs, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Create the foreground vegetation with a mix of greens, browns, and purples, using broken brushstrokes.
step 08
Add highlights and reflections to the water to capture the shimmering effect of light.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Mix blues and whites for the sky and water. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the bridge and buildings. Mix greens with blue and yellow for the trees and vegetation. Add small amounts of alizarin crimson to darken colors and create subtle variations.

techniques