plate no. 5476

Washington Square Park

William James Glackens, 1908

oil, canvasImpressionismcityscapecityscapearchbuildingsfiguresstreetpark

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice loose, impressionistic brushstrokes to capture the atmosphere of the scene. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes and focus on capturing the overall impression rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the arch, buildings, and general placement of figures.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-gray wash.
step 03
Establish the basic colors of the buildings (red-orange) and the arch (off-white).
step 04
Add the darker values to define the shadows and forms of the buildings and arch.
step 05
Paint the figures with simplified shapes and colors, focusing on capturing their movement and interaction.
step 06
Add details to the street and vehicles, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, paying attention to the overall harmony.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · burnt umber

Mix various shades of red-orange for the buildings by combining cadmium red, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Create the off-white for the arch by mixing titanium white with small amounts of yellow ochre and ultramarine blue.

techniques