plate no. 0912

West Church, Boston (also known as Red School House, Boston or West Church at Cambridge and Lynde Streets)

Maurice Prendergast, 1901

pencil, watercolor, paperPost-Impressionismgenre paintingbuildingtreesfiguresfountainparkautumn

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering watercolor washes and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective. It also encourages loose, expressive brushwork to capture the scene's energy.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main elements: building, trees, fountain, and figures.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the sky and building.
step 03
Add a slightly darker wash of burnt umber and raw sienna to the trees and ground.
step 04
Begin layering washes to define the building's details, using red and brown variations.
step 05
Paint the blue doors and windows with a mix of cerulean blue and ultramarine.
step 06
Add details to the trees with short, broken strokes of yellow, orange, and brown.
step 07
Paint the figures with quick, impressionistic strokes, using a variety of colors for clothing.
step 08
Add final details like the fountain spray with white and light blue, and refine the foreground brickwork.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · cerulean blue

secondary · raw sienna · ultramarine blue · white

Achieve the brick color by mixing burnt sienna with a touch of red. Create the foliage colors by mixing yellow ochre with burnt sienna and a hint of green. Vary the blues with ultramarine to create depth.

techniques