plate no. 7593

Restaurant

John Register, 1990

oilAmerican Realismgenre paintingfigurerestaurantinteriorwindowtablewater

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing hatching and cross-hatching techniques to create depth and shadow. Recreating it will also help students understand how to simplify a complex scene into basic shapes and values.

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 window frame, the figure, the tables, and the horizon line.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas using cross-hatching, focusing on the floor, the booth shadows, and the ceiling.
step 03
Begin adding the mid-tones with hatching, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
step 04
Mix the blue for the booth and apply with short, directional strokes.
step 05
Create the water and sky with horizontal hatching, using lighter values for the sky.
step 06
Add details to the figure, focusing on the face and hands.
step 07
Refine the highlights on the tablecloth and the window frame.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and details to create a cohesive image.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · raw umber · yellow ochre

Mix blues and blacks to create the dark shadows. Use white to lighten the blues for the sky and water. Add a touch of raw umber to the white for the tablecloth.

techniques