plate no. 8308
The Bridge
Maurice de Vlaminck, 1910
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the bridge, trees, and water.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, water, and land using thin washes.
- step 03
Establish the darkest values in the water and bridge shadows.
- step 04
Add the lighter values to define the shapes of the bridge and trees.
- step 05
Use short, expressive brushstrokes to create the texture of the water and foliage.
- step 06
Refine the details of the bridge structure and reflections.
- step 07
Add highlights to the water and foliage to create a sense of light.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve the desired mood.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber
secondary · titanium white · sap green · cadmium yellow
Mix various shades of blue and umber for the water. Use yellow ochre and white for the bridge. Mix greens from blue and yellow for the foliage.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·wet-on-dry
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive brushwork.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Failing to capture the correct values, especially in the reflections.
- →Making the composition too symmetrical.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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