plate no. 6306
Santiago de Cuba, Street Scene
recreation guide
Winslow Homer’s 'Santiago de Cuba, Street Scene' represents a pivotal moment in his career where he transitioned from oil to watercolor as a primary medium for finished works. Executed in graphite and watercolor, the piece exemplifies his 'natural, fluid and confident' technique that emerged after 1873 (Source 3). Unlike his earlier, more detailed works, Homer’s watercolors from this period often display a broader, more impressionistic approach, capturing the atmosphere and light of the scene rather than minute details (Source 3). The work is grounded in Realism, utilizing the transparency and opacity capabilities of water-based media to render the urban landscape with a solidity and sobriety that Homer developed during his mature period (Source 3).
estimated time
10-15 hours over 3-5 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Graphite | Initial underdrawing and structural definition | High-quality graphite pencils or sticks |
| Watercolor paints | Primary color medium, allowing for both transparent washes and opaque body-colors | Professional grade pan or tube watercolors |
| Gum-arabic | Agglutinative medium to bind pigments, essential for traditional watercolor stability | Included in modern watercolor paints; can be added separately for body-colors |
| Linen-rag watercolor paper | Support surface that resists warping and allows for detailed work without excessive absorption | 100% cotton rag watercolor paper, cold-pressed or hot-pressed depending on desired texture |
| Water | Solvent for pigments and medium | Clean, filtered water |
| Brushes | Application of washes and details | Assorted round and flat brushes suitable for watercolor |
preparation
surface prep
Select high-quality watercolor paper made from linen rags, bleached by air and sunshine rather than chemicals, to ensure longevity and proper pigment adhesion (Source 1). The paper should be dry and free from dampness to prevent sizing fermentation (Source 1). While Homer’s specific paper choice for this work is not detailed, his general practice involved carrying paper and paints while traveling, suggesting a portable, sturdy support (Source 3).
underdrawing
Begin with a graphite underdrawing to establish the composition and structural elements of the street scene. Homer’s technique was 'natural, fluid and confident,' suggesting a decisive initial drawing phase (Source 3). Use contour drawing principles to emphasize the mass and volume of buildings and figures rather than getting lost in minor details (Source 6). Ensure the drawing is accurate before applying paint, as correcting errors in paint can be fatal to the lucidity of the work (Source 4).
underpainting
Watercolor technique often reserves the paper for lights, meaning the 'underpainting' is effectively the white of the paper itself (Source 1). However, Homer’s style included 'impastements, opacities, and transparencies,' suggesting he may have used body-colors (opaque watercolors) for highlights or specific details (Source 1). Start with transparent washes to establish general tones and shadows, allowing the paper to show through for the brightest areas.
color palette
Neutral tints
Raw umber, burnt sienna, or similar earth tones
General shadows and structural definition, consistent with Homer’s 'constrained and sober' palette in his later watercolors (Source 3)
Transparent washes
Diluted pigments with gum-arabic
Atmospheric effects and sky, leveraging the 'maximum of transparency' possible with watercolor (Source 2)
Opaque body-colors
Pigments ground with more gum-arabic or mixed with white
Highlights and specific details where opacity is needed, reflecting the 'complex style' of watercolors that includes opacities (Source 1)
composition
While specific compositional details of 'Santiago de Cuba, Street Scene' are not described in the sources, Homer’s work is characterized by a focus on the 'solidity and sobriety' of his subjects (Source 3). The composition likely emphasizes the mass and volume of the urban environment, using line and shape to guide the viewer’s eye through the scene (Source 7). The artist’s approach to composition in this period was 'more deliberately conceived and executed,' suggesting a careful arrangement of elements to convey a sense of place and atmosphere (Source 3).
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic outlines of the street scene using graphite, focusing on the mass and volume of buildings and figures.
Tip — Ensure accuracy in proportions before moving to paint, as corrections in paint are difficult (Source 4).
Contour drawing
first pass
step 02
Apply transparent washes to establish the general tones and shadows of the scene, reserving the paper for the brightest highlights.
Tip — Work from light to dark, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next to maintain clarity (Source 1).
Transparent watercolor wash
refining
step 03
Add deeper tones and details using more concentrated washes, building up the complexity of the scene.
Tip — Avoid overworking the paper, which can lead to stains and loss of detail (Source 1).
Layering washes
finishing
step 04
Use opaque body-colors for highlights and specific details where necessary, leveraging the 'impastements' possible in watercolor (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the opaque colors are properly mixed with gum-arabic to adhere well to the paper (Source 2).
Body-color application
step 05
Review the overall composition and make any final adjustments to balance the light and dark areas.
Tip — Step back from the work to assess the overall effect and ensure the 'solidity and sobriety' characteristic of Homer’s style (Source 3).
Compositional balance
critical techniques
Transparent washes
Used to create depth and atmosphere, allowing the paper to show through for highlights (Source 1).
Body-colors
Used for opaque highlights and details, adding solidity to the composition (Source 2).
Contour drawing
Used in the underdrawing phase to establish the mass and volume of the scene (Source 6).
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the paper, which can lead to stains and loss of detail (Source 1).
- →Applying paint with obvious errors in construction or drawing, which is 'fatal to lucidity' (Source 4).
- →Using paper that has suffered from dampness, which can cause the sizing to ferment and decompose (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific color palette used in 'Santiago de Cuba, Street Scene' is not detailed in the sources.
- ·Exact dimensions and scale of the artwork are not provided.
- ·Specific brush types Homer used for this piece are not mentioned.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER XIII. WATER COLOURS — applied to Watercolor techniques, paper preparation, and the use of transparent and opaque washes
- CHAPTER XII. CRAYONS, DISTEMPERING, EGG-PAINTING, WATER — applied to Body-colors and the role of gum-arabic as a medium
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- PAINTING FROM LIFE — applied to Importance of accurate underdrawing and avoiding corrections in paint
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Winslow Homer↗
- part 6 — applied to Homer’s watercolor technique, style evolution, and general practice
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique to emphasize mass and volume
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General principles of composition and visual ordering
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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