plate no. 4757

Old shipyard Groenland with crane at Wittenburg, Amsterdam

Paul Werner, 2005

gouache, watercolor, paperExpressionismcityscapeboatsbuildingswatercranecityscapesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork and capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details. It also provides practice in mixing muted colors and creating a sense of atmosphere.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, boats, and crane.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of light blue/gray for the sky and water.
step 03
Block in the basic colors of the buildings and boats using diluted washes.
step 04
Add darker values to define the shadows and forms.
step 05
Use short, broken brushstrokes to suggest the texture of the water.
step 06
Strengthen the outlines of the main objects with darker colors.
step 07
Add highlights to the boats and buildings to create contrast.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Yellow ochre · Titanium white

secondary · Burnt umber · Payne's gray · Sap green

Mix blues and grays with white to create the sky and water. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the buildings, and mix blues with umber for darker tones.

techniques