plate no. 1595
The Port of Marseille
Felix Vallotton, 1901
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using color to create depth and atmosphere. It also offers a good exercise in capturing the essence of a scene with minimal detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the horizon line, the large buildings, the water area, and the foreground hill.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a base layer of dark blue, allowing for slight variations in tone.
- step 03
Paint the water with a flat, bright blue, leaving space for reflections later.
- step 04
Add the basic shapes of the buildings and the fort, using light beige and dark brown respectively.
- step 05
Paint the foreground hill with a base of green, then add darker and lighter greens to create texture.
- step 06
Add the suggestion of trees in the foreground with ochre and brown, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Indicate the ships in the distance with simplified shapes and muted colors.
- step 08
Add small details like the white sailboats and reflections in the water.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · burnt umber · sap green · cadmium red light
Mix the sky color by combining ultramarine blue with a touch of white and burnt umber. Create the green for the foreground by mixing sap green with yellow ochre and a touch of burnt umber for darker shades. The building color can be achieved by mixing yellow ochre with white and a touch of burnt umber.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·broken brushstrokes
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the original.
- →Using colors that are too saturated and not capturing the muted tones.
- →Not simplifying the shapes of the buildings and boats enough.
- →Failing to create depth through color and value variations.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·round brushes #4 and #8
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·medium gloss
Use a limited palette to encourage color mixing and create a harmonious painting. Consider using a slightly textured canvas to add visual interest.
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