plate no. 5127
ON THE BANKS OF THE SEINE
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork and atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and placement of major elements.
- step 02
Establish the sky with light blues and creams, blending softly.
- step 03
Block in the dark masses of the trees and foliage using dark greens and browns.
- step 04
Add the water, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape with horizontal strokes.
- step 05
Define the path and grassy area with variations of green and brown, using broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the figures with simple shapes and muted colors, paying attention to their relative sizes.
- step 07
Add details to the boat and distant shore, keeping them soft and indistinct.
- step 08
Refine the highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · sap green · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black
Mix greens by combining blues and yellows with touches of brown. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding white to colors for distant elements.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Making the figures too detailed and distracting from the overall scene.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·oil paints (sap green, raw umber, titanium white, cerulean blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a limited palette to achieve color harmony. Pre-mix several values of each color to speed up the painting process.
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