plate no. 1451

The Pont de Chatou

Maurice de Vlaminck, 1908

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismcityscapebridgerivertreesbuildingswaterboats

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and capturing reflections in water with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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 bridge, riverbank, and buildings using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, water, and land, using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the darkest values in the bridge structure and riverbank.
step 04
Layer in the mid-tones and highlights, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 05
Add details to the bridge and buildings, using thicker paint and bolder brushstrokes.
step 06
Create reflections in the water by mirroring the colors and shapes above.
step 07
Refine the edges and details, adjusting values and colors as needed.
step 08
Add final touches, such as small boats and subtle variations in the water.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Yellow ochre · Titanium white · Burnt umber

secondary · Viridian green · Cadmium yellow

Mix greens by combining Prussian blue and Cadmium yellow. Create muted tones by adding Burnt umber to the primary colors. Use white to lighten values and create highlights.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken color
·Wet-on-wet blending
·Scumbling
·Layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Neglecting the reflections in the water.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Yellow ochre, Titanium white, Burnt umber, Viridian green, Cadmium yellow)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife
·Rags