plate no. 7340
The levee, New Orleans
Currier and Ives, 1884
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, layering, and rendering atmospheric effects. It also provides practice in depicting complex scenes with numerous figures and objects.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
1
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the overall composition and perspective.
- step 02
Block in the basic shapes and colors of the sky, river, and land.
- step 03
Add the steamboats and other large structures, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
- step 04
Start building up the details of the cotton bales, figures, and other objects in the foreground.
- step 05
Layer in the smoke and atmospheric haze to create depth and distance.
- step 06
Refine the details of the figures and objects, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 07
Add final touches and adjustments to the colors and values.
- step 08
Allow to dry and apply a protective varnish
color palette
primary · sky blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · red · yellow ochre · payne's grey
Mix various shades of brown and grey for the cotton bales and smoke. Use white to lighten the sky and create highlights.
techniques
- ·linear perspective
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →getting the perspective wrong
- →overworking the details
- →creating a flat, lifeless sky
- →inconsistent scale of figures
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil or acrylic medium
- ·mineral spirits or water
optional
- ·easel
- ·ruler
- ·graphite pencils
- ·kneaded eraser
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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