plate no. 1252
Portrait of a House
L. S. Lowry, 1953
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex forms and creating atmospheric perspective with muted colors. It's also a good exercise in capturing the texture of surfaces with visible brushstrokes.
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 shapes of the house and trees, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, lawn, and the main color of the house.
- step 03
Add the darker tones to define the shadows and create depth in the trees and on the house.
- step 04
Introduce the lighter tones to highlight the areas catching the light.
- step 05
Refine the details of the house, such as the windows, doors, and roofline.
- step 06
Add texture to the lawn and trees using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to match the original painting.
- step 08
Add final details like the stairs and the wall on the right.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · sap green
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing white with small amounts of raw umber and other colors. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna sparingly for subtle warmth.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·blocking in
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the original.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- →Not capturing the texture of the surfaces.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a canvas with a medium texture to help create the desired brushstroke effect.
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