plate no. 3196

Soda Fountain

William James Glackens, 1935

oil, canvasImpressionismgenre paintingfiguresinteriorsoda fountainbarfruitbottles

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good opportunity to practice color mixing to achieve subtle variations in skin tones and fabric, as well as layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth. Students can also learn about composition and how to arrange figures in a scene to create a narrative.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the figures, bar, and background elements.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for the figures' clothing, skin tones, and background.
step 03
Begin layering colors to create depth and dimension in the figures and objects.
step 04
Pay attention to the light source and how it affects the colors and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the faces, clothing, and background elements.
step 06
Refine the brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors as needed to create a cohesive and balanced composition.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · cadmium yellow light · ivory black

Mix yellow ochre with white and a touch of red for the figures' skin tones. Use ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create muted browns and grays for the background. Mix cadmium yellow with white and a touch of green for the yellow dress.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Ignoring the light source and creating inconsistent shadows.
→Focusing too much on details early on, before establishing the overall composition.
→Not using enough layering to create depth and dimension.