plate no. 3586
Sunday
Edward Hopper, 1926
recreation guide
Edward Hopper’s 'Sunday' (1926) is a quintessential example of his New Realism style, characterized by a focus on urban and architectural scenes that evoke mood through the effective use of light and shadow (Source 1, Source 4). Unlike contemporaries who embraced abstract cubist experiments, Hopper remained attracted to realist art, often simplifying shapes and details to heighten contrast and create a specific atmosphere (Source 1, Source 4). The work falls under the genre of genre painting, which depicts aspects of everyday life with figures to whom no specific identity is attached, distinguishing it from portraiture or history painting (Source 2). Hopper’s approach was methodical; he paid particular attention to geometrical design and the careful placement of human figures in proper balance with their environment, often working out compositions in his mind or through preparatory sketches before starting to paint (Source 4).
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints | Primary medium for the final layers | High-quality tube oils (e.g., Winsor & Newton, Gamblin) |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Linseed oil or oil of copavia | Medium for glazing and scumbling, as noted in historical practice | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Ultramarine, Black, White | For the monochromatic underpainting (grisaille) | Standard ultramarine blue, ivory black, titanium white |
| Red and Yellow pigments | For glazing and scumbling color over the grisaille | Alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow, or modern equivalents |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While Hopper’s specific ground preparation for 'Sunday' is not detailed in the sources, his practice involved careful preparation of the support to allow for his methodical layering. Ensure the surface is smooth enough to accommodate his simplified shapes and attention to geometrical design (Source 4).
underdrawing
Hopper often made preparatory sketches to work out his carefully calculated compositions (Source 4). He stated, 'I don't start painting until I have it all worked out in my mind' (Source 4). Therefore, the underdrawing should be minimal and precise, focusing on the geometrical design and the balance of figures within the environment, rather than detailed contouring. Use a light charcoal or thinned oil sketch to establish the structural lines.
underpainting
Employ a grisaille (monochromatic underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white, as described in historical oil painting practices that Hopper’s contemporaries and predecessors utilized (Source 7). This step establishes the value structure and form before color is introduced. The sources note that Reynolds used black, ultramarine, and white for his first and second paintings (Source 7). This aligns with Hopper’s shift from dark palettes to lighter shades and back, suggesting a comfort with value-based foundations (Source 1).
color palette
Ultramarine/Black/White
Ultramarine blue, Ivory black, Titanium white
Grisaille underpainting to establish values and forms
Saturated Reds and Yellows
Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow, or similar
Glazing and scumbling to introduce color. Hopper used saturated color to heighten contrast and create mood (Source 4).
Complementary Tones
Dependent on local color, but likely blues/greens against reds/oranges
Enhancing color intensity. Surrounding a color with its complement increases its brilliancy (Source 3).
composition
Hopper paid particular attention to geometrical design and the careful placement of human figures in proper balance with their environment (Source 4). The composition should emphasize the relationship between the figures and the architectural space, avoiding clutter. The figures are likely anonymous, consistent with genre painting conventions where no specific identity is attached (Source 2). The use of light and shadow is central, with bright sunlight and its shadows playing symbolically powerful roles (Source 4).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic geometrical forms and figure placements lightly. Focus on the balance between the human figures and the architectural environment.
Tip — Ensure the composition is worked out in your mind before applying paint, as Hopper did (Source 4).
Preparatory sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Establish the light and shadow structure, paying attention to the 'effective use of light and shadow to create mood' (Source 4).
Tip — This monochromatic layer should be quite dry before proceeding (Source 7).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Introduce red and yellow tones as they occur in the scene, much like tinting an engraving (Source 7).
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque. Use these to build up color intensity without losing the underlying value structure.
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 04
Adjust color relationships using complementary colors. If a color is too pronounced, soften it by surrounding it with objects of the same color, more intense. If you want to increase brilliancy, surround it with its complement (Source 3).
Tip — Hopper used saturated color to heighten contrast. Use this principle to enhance the mood of the scene.
Color Harmony
finishing
step 05
Refine the details, ensuring the 'soft' realism simplifies shapes and details (Source 4). Check the balance of the figures within the environment.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling. Hopper’s realism simplified shapes, so keep edges clean and forms distinct but not overly detailed.
Soft Realism
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build color over a monochromatic underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque color, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 7).
Complementary Color Juxtaposition
Used to increase the brilliancy of colors. Placing a color next to its complement makes it appear more intense (Source 3).
Geometrical Composition
Hopper paid particular attention to geometrical design and the careful placement of figures in balance with their environment (Source 4).
common pitfalls
- →Over-detailing: Hopper’s 'soft' realism simplified shapes and details. Avoid adding excessive texture or intricate patterns that are not supported by the source or the artist’s general practice (Source 4).
- →Ignoring Value Structure: Skipping the grisaille underpainting may lead to a lack of depth and mood. Hopper’s use of light and shadow is central to his method (Source 4, Source 7).
- →Incorrect Color Intensity: Failing to use complementary colors to enhance brilliance may result in a flat appearance. Use the principles of color harmony to adjust intensity (Source 3).
- →Rushing the Process: Hopper was a slow and methodical artist. Do not start painting until the composition is fully worked out (Source 4).
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 pigments used by Hopper for 'Sunday' are not listed in the sources. The guide assumes standard historical pigments (ultramarine, black, white, red, yellow) based on general practice (Source 7).
- ·The exact layout of 'Sunday' (e.g., specific objects, clothing patterns) is not described in the sources. The guide focuses on general compositional and technical principles rather than specific visual details.
- ·Hopper’s specific medium ratios (oil to pigment) are not provided. The guide suggests using oil of copavia or linseed oil based on historical context (Source 7).
- ·The specific lighting conditions of 'Sunday' are not detailed. The guide relies on Hopper’s general use of light and shadow to create mood (Source 4).
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Science of Painting — 4. When two colours separated by more than two others↗
- The Laws of Colouring — applied to Color harmony and complementary color techniques.
The Practice of Oil Painting — COLOURING A MONOCHROME↗
- Colouring a Monochrome — applied to Grisaille underpainting and glazing/scumbling techniques.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Edward Hopper — part 4↗
- Years of struggle — applied to Overview of Hopper’s style, realist attraction, and palette shifts.
Wikipedia: Genre painting — Genre painting — part 1↗
- Genre painting — applied to Definition of genre painting and anonymity of figures.
Wikipedia bio — Edward Hopper — part 9↗
- Working methods — applied to Compositional habits, use of light/shadow, and preparatory sketches.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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