plate no. 9676
Stockholm Harbour
Oskar Kokoschka, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing atmospheric perspective with color. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, boats, and docks, focusing on proportions and placement.
- step 02
Block in the sky and water with broad strokes, establishing the overall color scheme.
- step 03
Add darker values to the clouds and shadows in the water to create depth.
- step 04
Paint the buildings with simplified shapes and colors, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 05
Add details to the boats and docks, focusing on capturing their forms with expressive brushwork.
- step 06
Refine the reflections in the water, using broken color and loose brushstrokes.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt sienna
secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium orange
Mix blues and white for the sky and water, varying the proportions to create subtle shifts in color. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the buildings, adding touches of orange for warmth. Mix raw umber with blue for darker shadows.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·expressive brushwork
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
- →Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the background too sharp.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oils)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
- ·odorless mineral spirits (for oil paint cleanup)
Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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