plate no. 7331

Wading

Edward Henry Potthast, 1916

oilImpressionismlandscapehousestreeswaterfigurelandscapereflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to capture light and atmosphere. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the houses, trees, and water, focusing on composition.
step 02
Establish the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the larger areas of color, such as the greens of the trees and the blues of the water.
step 04
Begin adding details to the houses, such as windows and roof lines, using thicker paint.
step 05
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create the texture of the trees and foliage.
step 06
Add the figure in the foreground, paying attention to its proportions and relationship to the surrounding landscape.
step 07
Refine the reflections in the water, using similar colors and values as the objects above.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.