plate no. 6499

The Yacht Race

Max Liebermann, 1924

oil, panelImpressionismgenre paintingfigurestreeswaterboatsskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture light and atmosphere. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the tree line, the figures, the shoreline, and the boats.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and yellow, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the green areas of the grass and trees using various shades of green, applied with loose brushstrokes.
step 04
Paint the water with blues and grays, reflecting the sky and adding subtle variations.
step 05
Add the figures and architectural details with simplified shapes and colors.
step 06
Paint the sailboats, focusing on the shapes of the sails and their reflections in the water.
step 07
Refine the details with small, directional brushstrokes to create texture and interest.
step 08
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of light and depth.

color palette

primary · sap green · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows with touches of umber for muted tones. Achieve the sky colors by diluting blues and yellows with white. Use crimson and white for the figures' clothing.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·alla prima
·directional brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using too much detail in the background, which should be kept simple.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to capture the light and shadow accurately.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (sap green, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags