plate no. 3838

Our Lady of Good Voyage

Allan Randall Freelon, 1935

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingscityscapewaterskystatuerooftops

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice layering brushstrokes to build texture and form. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into geometric shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the buildings, towers, and water.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and water, then the buildings.
step 03
Mix and apply the various shades of green and blue for the buildings and rooftops, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the towers, including the statue and the bell openings.
step 05
Refine the shapes and edges of the buildings, creating a sense of depth and perspective.
step 06
Add texture to the painting by using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Introduce the darker blues and greens for the foliage in the foreground.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · viridian green

secondary · burnt umber · titanium white · purple

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and viridian green, and create variations by adding small amounts of blue or burnt umber. Achieve the muted blues of the water by mixing cerulean blue with white and a touch of burnt umber.

techniques

·broken color
·layering
·color mixing
·scumbling
·geometric simplification

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a flat and uninteresting palette.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of depth and perspective.
→Not simplifying the complex shapes of the buildings and rooftops.