plate no. 7220

The White Tenement

Robert Spencer, 1913

oilImpressionismcityscapebuildingtenementwatervegetationskyfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in broken color techniques and capturing the texture of surfaces with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into manageable shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the tenement building, surrounding houses, and the waterline.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, building, water, and vegetation using thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up texture on the building by applying small, individual brushstrokes of varying colors.
step 04
Add details to the surrounding houses, paying attention to the variations in color and value.
step 05
Work on the vegetation in the foreground, using short, broken strokes to create a sense of depth and texture.
step 06
Paint the reflections in the water, using similar colors to the objects above, but in a more muted and blurred way.
step 07
Add the figure and any other small details, such as the laundry line.
step 08
Refine the painting by adjusting values and adding highlights and shadows as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · sap green · titanium white

Mix various shades of beige and gray for the building by combining yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white. Achieve the green tones by mixing ultramarine blue and yellow ochre or sap green.

techniques