plate no. 5969

Sunrise on the Bay of Fundy

oilRomanticismmarinaseashipssunrisecloudsboatshorizon

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in blending colors to create atmospheric perspective and rendering realistic waves and reflections. It also provides practice in depicting complex shapes like sailing ships.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, the placement of the ships, and the general shapes of the clouds.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes, establishing the gradient from light yellow near the horizon to pale blue higher up.
step 03
Paint the distant landmass with muted greens and browns, keeping the details soft and indistinct.
step 04
Establish the base color of the water, a dark green-blue, and begin adding highlights and shadows to suggest the waves.
step 05
Paint the ships, starting with the largest one in the foreground. Pay attention to the details of the rigging and sails.
step 06
Add smaller boats and details in the distance, using lighter colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 07
Refine the clouds, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final details, such as reflections in the water and highlights on the waves.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · payne's gray

Mix yellow ochre and white for the sky, adding small amounts of cadmium yellow for warmer highlights. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create the dark greens and blues of the water, lightening with white and adding touches of raw sienna for variation.

techniques