plate no. 5965
Madison Square Park in New York, City in the Early 1920's
Thomas Hart Benton, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, composition, and capturing the atmosphere of a city scene using a limited color palette. Students will also learn to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, arch, and park layout, focusing on perspective.
- step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points.
- step 03
Block in the main color areas: sky, buildings, park, and street.
- step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features.
- step 05
Paint the figures and cars, simplifying their forms.
- step 06
Develop the shadows and highlights to create depth.
- step 07
Add details to the park, such as trees and the statue.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition and add final touches.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · burnt sienna
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Mix raw umber and white for the base tones of the buildings and sky. Use burnt sienna for warmer tones and ultramarine blue to create cooler grays for shadows and the sky. Mix red and umber for the darker buildings.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplified forms
common pitfalls
- →Getting bogged down in details too early.
- →Incorrect perspective, leading to a distorted image.
- →Overworking the colors and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Not simplifying the forms enough, resulting in a cluttered composition.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a limited palette to capture the muted tones of the painting. Consider using a toned canvas for a head start on the overall color.
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