plate no. 7391

Railway Bridge and Rainbow

Max Beckmann, 1942

oil, canvasExpressionismlandscaperainbowbridgetreeslandscapetrainbuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes and using expressive brushstrokes to convey mood and atmosphere. It also offers practice in color mixing to achieve a range of greens and browns.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the bridge, trees, and buildings.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, land, water, and the rainbow.
step 03
Begin to refine the shapes of the trees and buildings, using darker values to create depth.
step 04
Add details to the bridge, paying attention to the perspective.
step 05
Mix and apply the various shades of green and brown to the landscape, using expressive brushstrokes.
step 06
Create the rainbow using blended layers of color.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form of the objects.
step 08
Step back and adjust the composition as needed.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Cadmium red · Yellow ochre · Titanium white

secondary · Burnt umber · Emerald green · Violet

Mix greens by combining Prussian blue and Yellow ochre, and browns by combining Burnt umber with blues and reds. Use white to lighten values and create tints.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken color
·Scumbling
·Color layering
·Expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Creating muddy colors
→Ignoring the overall composition
→Making the rainbow too uniform

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Cadmium red, Yellow ochre, Titanium white, Burnt umber)
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags