plate no. 4584
Office in a Small City
Edward Hopper, 1953
recreation guide
Office in a Small City (1953) is an oil painting by Edward Hopper that depicts a man sitting in a corner office surveying a cityscape, a composition described by Hopper’s wife as 'the man in concrete wall' (Source 4). The work exemplifies Hopper’s New Realism style, characterized by a voyeuristic perspective that peers through the office window at the working man inside (Source 4). The painting conveys themes of loneliness and beauty in a stark yet pleasing fashion, consistent with Hopper’s broader oeuvre (Source 4). Hopper’s approach to this work likely involved his characteristic methodical preparation, where he would work out compositions in his mind or through sketches before painting, ensuring a careful balance between human figures and their environment (Source 7).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (primary set: Ultramarine, White, Black, plus Red/Yellow earth tones) | For creating the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazes/scumbles | — |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/walnut oil medium) | Medium for the first and second paintings, as noted in Reynolds' method cited in Source 2 | Stand oil or Galkyd |
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting | — |
| Varnish | For mixing with oil in later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats | Dammar varnish |
preparation
surface prep
While specific priming for this 1953 work is not detailed in the sources, Hopper’s general practice involved careful preparation. The sources suggest a method where a monochrome preparation (grisaille) is applied and allowed to dry completely before coloring (Source 2). This implies a stable, absorbent ground is necessary to support the subsequent glazing and scumbling techniques.
underdrawing
Hopper was a slow and methodical artist who often made preparatory sketches to work out his carefully calculated compositions (Source 7). He stated, 'I don't start painting until I have it all worked out in my mind' (Source 7). Therefore, the underdrawing should be minimal or non-existent on the canvas itself, relying instead on a fully resolved mental image or separate sketch. The focus is on the geometrical design and placement of the figure in balance with the environment (Source 7).
underpainting
The process likely involves creating a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting. Source 2 describes a method where one mentally extracts red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these were not present. This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding (Source 2). This aligns with the traditional method cited by Sir Joshua Reynolds, using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia (Source 2).
color palette
Ultramarine/Black/White
Ultramarine, Black, White
Creating the initial grisaille underpainting to establish values and forms without color interference (Source 2)
Red and Yellow tones
Transparent reds and yellows (e.g., Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow)
Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce color, mimicking the tinting of an engraving (Source 2)
Saturated Colors
Various saturated hues
Heightening contrast and creating mood, consistent with Hopper’s use of saturated color to simplify shapes and details (Source 7)
composition
The composition features a voyeuristic perspective, peering through the office window at the man inside (Source 4). Hopper paid particular attention to geometrical design and the careful placement of human figures in proper balance with their environment (Source 7). The subject is a man in a corner office, creating a stark contrast between the interior figure and the exterior cityscape (Source 4). Consistent with general composition principles, the prominent subject (the man) is likely off-center to avoid exact bisection, balanced by the negative space of the window and city view (Source 5). The horizon line of the cityscape should be positioned to emphasize either the sky or ground, avoiding an equal split (Source 5).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Resolve the composition mentally or on paper. Hopper worked out ideas in his mind or through sketches before painting (Source 7). Do not draw directly on the canvas if possible, relying on the mental image.
Tip — Focus on the geometrical balance between the figure and the window frame.
Mental Composition
underpainting
step 02
Create a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or similar medium). Establish the values of the man, the office interior, and the cityscape outside (Source 2).
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting only the values that would remain if those colors were absent (Source 2).
Grisaille
refining
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, apply transparent coats of color (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) using red and yellow tones (Source 2).
Tip — Treat the process like tinting an engraving with watercolors. Use varnish and oil mixed for greater mastery in later stages (Source 2).
Glazing and Scumbling
step 04
Apply saturated colors to heighten contrast and create mood, particularly in the light and shadow areas (Source 7).
Tip — Use light and shadow to create a cinematic, noir-like mood, emphasizing the starkness of the scene (Source 7).
Saturated Color Application
finishing
step 05
Review the simultaneous contrast of colors. Ensure that contiguous colors do not inadvertently alter the perceived hue of adjacent areas due to optical effects (Source 1).
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see the complementary of a previously viewed color, affecting accuracy (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast Check
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
A transparent coat of color (glazing) and semi-opaque painting (scumbling) over a dry grisaille to introduce color, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast Awareness
Recognizing that contiguous colors affect the perception of each other, requiring the painter to perceive and imitate modifications of light and color accurately (Source 1).
Geometrical Design
Careful placement of human figures in balance with their environment, simplifying shapes and details (Source 7).
common pitfalls
- →Failing to let the grisaille dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors (Source 2).
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception where contiguous colors alter the apparent hue of adjacent areas (Source 1).
- →Over-detailing the figure or environment, whereas Hopper’s 'soft' realism simplified shapes and details (Source 7).
- →Placing the subject in exact bisection or centering it symmetrically, which violates composition principles for interest and balance (Source 5).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific pigment brands or exact color mixes used by Hopper for this 1953 painting are not provided in the sources.
- ·The exact dimensions of the canvas are not specified.
- ·Detailed description of the cityscape outside the window (specific buildings, weather conditions) is not provided in the sources, only that it is a cityscape.
- ·The specific clothing pattern or jewelry of the man is not described in the sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting and glazing techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous contrast — applied to Color perception and accuracy
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Office in a Small City↗
- Description and Analysis — applied to Subject matter and compositional perspective
Wikipedia bio — Edward Hopper↗
- Working methods — applied to Preparation, geometrical design, and use of light/shadow
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Other techniques — applied to General compositional balance and horizon line placement
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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