plate no. 5413

Rayons du soir

Charles Cottet, 1892

oilPost-Impressionismmarinaboatswaterfiguresskybuildingsharbor

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the boats, figures, and buildings, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, water, and land, using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the dark values of the boats and figures, focusing on their silhouettes.
step 04
Add the reflections in the water, using broken brushstrokes and slightly lighter values than the objects themselves.
step 05
Develop the details of the boats, such as the sails, masts, and rigging.
step 06
Refine the shapes and values of the figures, adding highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add details to the buildings and landscape in the background, using soft edges and muted colors.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors, values, and edges to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · raw umber · payne's gray

Mix muted greens for the water by combining blue, yellow, and a touch of brown. Achieve the warm tones of the sails by blending red, yellow, and brown. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric haze.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·simplified forms

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Making the reflections too literal and not capturing the movement of the water.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not creating a sense of atmosphere.
→Neglecting the importance of value contrast in creating depth.