plate no. 4028

Parade, Platanes

Henri Matisse, 1917

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismcityscaperiverbridgetreesbuildingsskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to convey texture and form. It's also good practice for capturing reflections in water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: the river, bridge, buildings, and trees.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, water, land, and foliage.
step 03
Add the darker tones to define the shapes of the bridge, trees, and reflections.
step 04
Introduce secondary colors to create depth and interest in the foliage and buildings.
step 05
Refine the details of the bridge arches and reflections in the water.
step 06
Add highlights to the trees and buildings to create a sense of light.
step 07
Use short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture in the foliage and water.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition, ensuring a balance of color and tone.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium green · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create various shades of brown by mixing burnt umber with yellow ochre and a touch of blue or red. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-dry brushwork
·scumbling
·color mixing
·simplification of form

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to simplify the scene and including too much detail.
→Not capturing the reflections accurately.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium green, cadmium red, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife