plate no. 5574
Spring Night, Harlem River
Ernest Lawson, 1913
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as capturing reflections in water using broken brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the bridge and its reflection.
- step 02
Block in the sky and water with broad strokes of light blue and green.
- step 03
Establish the darker values of the bridge structure and the foliage in the foreground.
- step 04
Add details to the bridge, including the arches and the lights.
- step 05
Develop the reflections in the water, using horizontal strokes and varying colors.
- step 06
Refine the foliage in the foreground with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Add the bare tree branches, using a thin brush and dark paint.
- step 08
Adjust values and colors as needed to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · viridian green · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Mix greens by blending blues and yellows, and create muted tones by adding small amounts of complementary colors.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·impasto
common pitfalls
- →over-blending colors
- →losing the structure of the bridge
- →making the reflections too symmetrical
- →not varying brushstrokes enough
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-grit canvas for better texture.
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