plate no. 9220

Rockport, Boats in a Harbor

oilImpressionismmarinaboatswaterbuildingsharborskysnow

some experience helpful

This painting offers practice in broken color techniques and capturing light and reflections on water. Students will learn to simplify complex scenes into dabs of color.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, boats, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, water, and land.
step 03
Begin adding individual brushstrokes of color to create the impression of light and texture in the water.
step 04
Develop the forms of the boats and buildings with small, distinct brushstrokes.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 06
Refine the details of the reflections in the water.
step 07
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed.
step 08
Allow to dry and varnish.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · cadmium yellow

Mix blues and yellows with white for the sky and water. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the buildings. Add small amounts of green for the boats and reflections.

techniques