plate no. 1919

The Elbe at Dresden

Oskar Kokoschka, 1922

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscaperiverbuildingsskyreflectionsbridge

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing reflections in water. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, river, and sky, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of blue and orange, capturing the general color variations.
step 03
Establish the dark masses of the buildings using browns and blacks, leaving spaces for highlights.
step 04
Paint the river with horizontal strokes, mixing greens, blues, and yellows to create a sense of depth and movement.
step 05
Add reflections in the water, mirroring the colors and shapes of the buildings and sky above.
step 06
Use thicker paint and bolder strokes to add details and texture to the buildings and foreground.
step 07
Refine the composition by adjusting colors and values, ensuring a balance between light and dark areas.
step 08
Add final touches, such as highlights on the buildings and ripples in the water.

color palette

primary · Prussian Blue · Burnt Sienna · Yellow Ochre

secondary · Cadmium Red · Sap Green · Black

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow. Achieve various shades of brown by mixing burnt sienna with black and small amounts of other colors. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken Color
·Wet-on-dry
·Expressive Brushwork
·Color Mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Creating mud by over-mixing colors on the palette or canvas.
→Failing to capture the reflections accurately, resulting in a flat or unrealistic water surface.
→Ignoring the overall composition and focusing too much on individual elements.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Sap Green, Black, Titanium White)
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags