plate no. 3852

The Harbor at Lorient

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapeharborboatswaterbuildingsskyfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in painting figures in a landscape setting using loose, impressionistic brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of the major elements (buildings, boats, figure).
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and water, using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the values of the buildings and boats, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the buildings and boats, using smaller brushes and more precise strokes.
step 05
Paint the figure, focusing on capturing the light and shadow on the dress and umbrella.
step 06
Refine the reflections in the water, using horizontal strokes and subtle color variations.
step 07
Add the details of the foreground wall, using thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · alizarin crimson · viridian

Mix the sky and water colors by blending ultramarine blue and titanium white, adding small amounts of yellow ochre or burnt umber to adjust the hue. Create the grays for the buildings and boats by mixing burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and titanium white.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the water and sky.
→Making the figure too stiff or detailed.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the distant objects too sharp.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 or 16x20)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, alizarin crimson, viridian)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 2-8)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags