plate no. 1933

Low Tide

Edward Henry Potthast, 1915

oilImpressionismgenre paintingbeachwaterfiguresrocksskywaves

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve realistic water tones and practice layering brushstrokes to create texture in the rocks and waves. It also provides practice in capturing figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line, the placement of the rocks, and the figures.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-gray, blending it smoothly.
step 03
Establish the main water areas with varying shades of blue and green, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 04
Paint the distant landmass with muted pinks, greens, and browns.
step 05
Add the rocks in the foreground, using a mix of browns, yellows, and purples, with visible brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Paint the figures with simple shapes and colors, capturing their general form and placement.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the water and rocks to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine details such as the waves, reflections, and small details on the rocks.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix blues and greens with white to achieve the various water tones. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the rocks, adding touches of crimson for warmth. Mix white with a touch of crimson for the pinkish landmass.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·impasto
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Creating too much detail too early in the process.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the water and rocks.
→Making the figures too detailed, which would detract from the overall impressionistic style.