plate no. 5930

The Camel's Hump

Edward Hopper, 1931

oil, canvasNew Realismlandscapehillslandscapeskyvegetationmountainsclouds

recreation guide

Edward Hopper’s 'The Camel's Hump' (1931) is a quintessential example of his 'soft' realism, characterized by simplified shapes, saturated colors, and a meticulous attention to the interplay of light and shadow to create mood (Source 6). The painting belongs to the landscape genre, which historically evolved from topographical views to more expressive, atmospheric compositions, though Hopper’s approach remains grounded in observed reality rather than pure imagination (Source 4). His method was slow and deliberate; he typically worked out compositions in his mind and through preparatory sketches before applying paint, ensuring that the placement of figures and architectural elements achieved a precise geometric balance (Source 6).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Cadmium Red/Yellow)	Primary palette for grisaille and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers.	—
Canvas (primed)	Support for the oil painting.	—
Oil of Copavia (or modern equivalent like Walnut Oil or Linseed Oil)	Medium for the initial underpainting layers, as cited in historical practice.	Walnut oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow.	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Charcoal or Graphite	For initial underdrawing and compositional sketching.	—

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground. While specific priming details for this exact work are not in the sources, Hopper’s adherence to traditional oil painting methods suggests a stable, absorbent ground suitable for layering. The surface must be dry before beginning the monochrome underpainting.

underdrawing

Hopper was a methodical artist who often made preparatory sketches to work out carefully calculated compositions (Source 6). He did not start painting until the idea was fully worked out in his mind. The underdrawing should be precise, focusing on the geometrical design and the balance between the building, the street, and the sky, rather than loose gestural marks.

underpainting

The process likely begins with a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). According to historical practice described in the sources, the first and second paintings are done with oil of copavia using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 1). This stage establishes the tonal values and composition without the distraction of color. The artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if those colors were not present (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure pigment

Used in the initial grisaille underpainting along with black and white to establish tones (Source 1).

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Used in the initial grisaille underpainting to establish highlights and mid-tones (Source 1).

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Used in the initial grisaille underpainting to establish shadows and deep tones (Source 1).

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red

Applied in subsequent glazing and scumbling layers to introduce color, mimicking the effect of tinting an engraving (Source 1).

Complementary Colors

Blue/Orange or Red/Green pairs

Used to heighten contrast and create mood, leveraging simultaneous contrast principles (Source 6, Source 7).

composition

Hopper characteristically paid particular attention to geometrical design and the careful placement of human figures in proper balance with their environment (Source 6). In this landscape, the composition likely relies on the strong horizontal and vertical lines of the architecture and the street, balanced against the sky. The use of light and shadow is central, with bright sunlight casting symbolic shadows that create mood, similar to his other works like 'Early Sunday Morning' (Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition on the canvas using charcoal or graphite. Focus on the geometric balance of the building, the street, and the sky. Ensure the placement of any figures or vehicles is precise.
Tip — Hopper worked out ideas in his mind and through sketches before painting. Do not rush this stage.
Preparatory Sketching

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium). Establish all tonal values, shadows, and highlights.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on what remains in nature without them. This establishes the structural integrity of the light.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is completely dry, begin applying color. Use glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze with transparent coats of color, and scumble with semi-opaque layers where the underlying painting shows through.
Tip — Apply yellow and red tones as they occur, much like tinting an engraving with watercolors. Start with oil, then move to varnish and oil mixtures for greater transparency.
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
Refine the color contrasts. Use complementary colors to heighten contrast and create mood. Be aware of simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors affect each other's appearance.
Tip — Ensure that the lightest tones are not lowered and darkest tones are not heightened incorrectly due to adjacent color influences. Adjust hues to maintain accuracy.
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 05
Finalize the painting by adjusting the saturation and contrast. Hopper used saturated color to heighten contrast and create mood. Ensure the light and shadow effects are crisp and symbolic.
Tip — Check the balance between the bright sunlight and the deep shadows. The mood should be evocative, similar to film noir cinematography.
Saturated Color Application

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface. This step is traditional in oil painting to enhance depth and protect the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, while scumbling involves a semi-opaque layer that allows the underlying painting to show through. This method was practiced by old masters and is described as a way to tint an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors affect each other's appearance. The painter must appreciate the color peculiar to each part and the modifications of tone and color received from contiguous colors (Source 2).

Saturated Color for Mood

Hopper used saturated color to heighten contrast and create mood, simplifying shapes and details in his 'soft' realism (Source 6).

common pitfalls

→Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the underpainting (Source 1).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and application (Source 2).
→Overworking the paint, losing the crispness of light and shadow that defines Hopper's style (Source 6).
→Using black to darken colors, which can cause hue shifts toward green or blue. Instead, use complementary colors to neutralize and darken without shifting hue (Source 8).

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 pigment brands or exact ratios used by Hopper for this painting are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions of the canvas are not provided in the sources.
·Specific details of the figures or objects in 'The Camel's Hump' are not described in the provided sources, so the guide focuses on general compositional and technical principles.
·The specific lighting conditions (time of day, weather) are inferred from Hopper's general style rather than explicit description in the sources.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting (grisaille) and glazing/scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color contrast and simultaneous contrast principles

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Edward Hopper↗
- part 9 — applied to Artist's method, use of light/shadow, and preparatory sketches
Wikipedia: Complementary colors↗
- part 1 — applied to Understanding complementary color pairs for contrast
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Mixing pigments and avoiding hue shifts when darkening colors