plate no. 2574

The Porte d'Amont, Etretat

pastelRomanticismlandscapecliffsbeachskywavesfiguresrocks

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes and creating atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of rocks and sand with loose brushwork.

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 of the cliffs, beach, and horizon line.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the sky, allowing it to blend softly.
step 03
Paint the cliffs with a mix of yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and a touch of ultramarine, varying the tones to create depth.
step 04
Add shadows to the cliffs using a darker mix of burnt sienna and ultramarine.
step 05
Paint the beach with a light wash of yellow ochre and raw umber, creating a gradient from light to dark as it recedes.
step 06
Add the waves with white and light blue, using short, horizontal strokes.
step 07
Paint the figures and rocks on the beach with dark brown and black, keeping them simple and small.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the cliffs and beach to enhance the texture and depth.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · raw umber

secondary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · black

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm tones of the cliffs and beach. Add ultramarine to create shadows and cooler tones. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Making the colors too saturated and not achieving the muted, atmospheric effect.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and distance in the landscape.
→Not varying the tones enough in the cliffs, making them appear flat.