plate no. 4677
Moonlit seascape
Alfred Stevens, 1892
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing the subtle gradations of light in a nocturnal scene. It's also great for practicing blending and creating soft edges.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare your canvas with a neutral ground.
- step 02
Sketch the basic composition, placing the horizon line and the moon's position.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, clouds, and sea, using thin washes.
- step 04
Build up the cloud formations, focusing on the light around the moon and the darker areas.
- step 05
Add the reflections of the moon on the water, using broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the ships in the distance, keeping them simple and dark.
- step 07
Refine the details in the foreground waves, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black
Mix varying shades of blue and brown for the sky and sea. Use white to create highlights and soften edges. Yellow ochre can be used to add warmth to the moonlit areas.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the clouds and water.
- →Making the highlights too bright and artificial.
- →Losing the atmospheric perspective by using too much detail in the distance.
- →Not blending the edges of the clouds and water properly.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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