plate no. 7073

The Port of Martigues

oilImpressionismcityscapeharborboatsbuildingswaterskytown

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing broken color and capturing light effects on water and buildings. Students can learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: horizon line, buildings, boats, and foreground rocks.
step 02
Block in the sky with a base layer of blue, adding white for clouds.
step 03
Establish the water color with varying shades of blue and green, reflecting the sky and buildings.
step 04
Paint the buildings using simplified shapes and colors, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Add the boats, focusing on their reflections in the water.
step 06
Define the foreground rocks with a mix of browns, reds, and purples, using broken color.
step 07
Refine details like the pier, windows, and masts.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix blues and greens for the water, adding white for highlights. Use burnt umber and cadmium red for the rocks, and yellow ochre to create warm tones for the buildings.

techniques