plate no. 3897

Painting by Eugène Jansson

oilSymbolismcityscapebuildingwaterreflectionnightboatcityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice capturing light and reflections, as well as simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also provides an opportunity to explore a limited color palette and create atmospheric effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the building, water line, and boat.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of color.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the building, water, and sky.
step 04
Focus on capturing the light source and its effect on the surrounding areas.
step 05
Develop the reflections in the water, paying attention to distortion and color changes.
step 06
Add details to the building and boat, keeping the brushstrokes loose and expressive.
step 07
Refine the edges and values to create depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · Prussian blue

secondary · sap green · titanium white

Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for the warm tones of the building. Use Prussian blue and burnt umber for the darker areas and the night sky. Add white to lighten the colors and create highlights.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
→Making the reflections too perfect and unrealistic.
→Not paying enough attention to the value structure.
→Using too many colors and creating a muddy effect.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 12x16
·Oil paints: yellow ochre, burnt umber, Prussian blue, titanium white, sap green
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags