plate no. 6153

Presidente Fragata Sarmiento

Benito Quinquela Martin, 1904

oilImpressionismmarinaboatswaterfiguresbuildingsharborsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting reflections in water and using visible brushstrokes to create texture and movement. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the boats, buildings, and horizon line using light pencil strokes.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and water, using thin washes.
step 03
Add darker values to define the shapes of the boats and buildings, paying attention to the light source.
step 04
Build up layers of color and texture using visible brushstrokes, working from background to foreground.
step 05
Add details to the boats and figures, using smaller brushes and darker colors.
step 06
Create reflections in the water by mirroring the colors and shapes of the objects above.
step 07
Refine the edges and details, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall composition as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian

Mix blues and whites for the sky and water, adding touches of yellow ochre for warmth. Use burnt sienna and cadmium red for the boats, and mix greens from blue and yellow for the buildings.

techniques