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home·artworks·The Priests Lodging - Dieppe
The Priests Lodging - Dieppe by James McNeill Whistler

plate no. 7807

The Priests Lodging - Dieppe

James McNeill Whistler, 1897

oil, canvasTonalismcityscapebuildingwindowsdoorcityscapearchitecture
some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in tonal painting, focusing on subtle value shifts and creating atmosphere with a limited color palette. It also provides practice in depicting architectural forms with loose, expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

  1. step 01

    Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the building, door, and windows, paying attention to proportions.

  2. step 02

    Establish a base layer of a mid-tone brown across the entire canvas.

  3. step 03

    Block in the darkest areas (door, shadows under windows) with a darker brown mixture.

  4. step 04

    Begin adding lighter tones to the walls and window frames, using a slightly lighter brown mixed with white.

  5. step 05

    Indicate the window panes with subtle variations of green and pink, suggesting reflections.

  6. step 06

    Add details to the brickwork and architectural elements with short, broken brushstrokes.

  7. step 07

    Create the wet street effect by adding horizontal strokes of varying browns and grays at the bottom of the canvas.

  8. step 08

    Soften edges and blend tones to create a hazy, atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · alizarin crimson

Achieve the various brown tones by mixing raw umber and burnt umber in different ratios with white. Use alizarin crimson and sap green sparingly to create subtle color variations in the windows and reflections.

techniques

  • ·tonal painting
  • ·scumbling
  • ·dry brushing
  • ·atmospheric perspective
  • ·limited palette

common pitfalls

  • →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
  • →Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image.
  • →Using colors that are too saturated, which will detract from the tonal harmony.
  • →Not blending edges sufficiently, resulting in a harsh and unrealistic look.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

  • ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
  • ·raw umber oil paint
  • ·burnt umber oil paint
  • ·titanium white oil paint
  • ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
  • ·palette
  • ·linseed oil
  • ·odorless mineral spirits

optional

  • ·palette knife
  • ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
  • ·easel

A toned canvas (light brown or gray) can be helpful for establishing the initial tonal values.

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