plate no. 1795

View of Bosphorus

Feyhaman Duran, 1955

oil, canvasExpressionismlandscapewaterboatslandscapefiguresskycoastline

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and capturing the movement of water with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in depicting figures and boats in perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of the boats and coastline.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, water, land, using thin washes.
step 03
Develop the color variations in the water, using blues, greens, and grays, applied with visible brushstrokes.
step 04
Paint the boats, paying attention to their shapes and reflections in the water.
step 05
Add details to the coastline, including the wooden posts and the vegetation.
step 06
Refine the figures in the boat, keeping them simple and suggestive.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious overall effect.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · cadmium orange

Mix various shades of blue and green for the water by combining cerulean blue, white, and small amounts of viridian green. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the land, adding white to lighten the tones.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, which can detract from the overall impressionistic effect.
→Creating mud by overmixing colors on the palette.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the water and sky.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (cerulean blue, titanium white, burnt umber, yellow ochre, viridian green, cadmium orange)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits