During a recent trip to San Francisco, I had the surreal experience of painting the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. It's a sight many of us have seen countless times on TV, but standing there in person, brush in hand, was truly something special. While the bridge itself is a magnificent subject, I found myself captivated by a particular rock in the scene. Its subtle colors and intriguing shapes offer a wealth of lessons for us as painters. In this chapter, we'll focus on capturing the essence of that rock, allowing it to take center stage while the bridge plays a supporting role. You'll learn how to paint convincingly solid rocks by examining their form, color, and texture. We'll start by selecting a square canvas to complement the rock's shape and integrate the bridge effectively. Through sketching and value studies, you'll gain insights into composition and balance. Approach this as a study, embracing the freedom to experiment and express yourself without the pressure of perfection. Let's explore the beauty and timelessness of rocks together.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
"Golden Gates" 12x16" Oil on Canvas by Richard Robinson
Step 9Painting the bridge and background hills
Paint the Bridge
Mix a fairly neutral mid-value grey with a slight warmth, leaning towards red. This will suggest the local orangey-red color of the Golden Gate Bridge while allowing it to sit back into the atmosphere. Avoid using a bright orange to maintain subtlety.
Create Background Hills
Mix a cooler, slightly lighter grey for the background hills, as they are further away than the bridge. Add a touch of yellow ochre and a little bit of white to suggest light on the top of the hills.
Adjust Color for Depth
Lighten the blue-grey slightly on the side closer to the light source. Add a little magenta to the grey to counterpoint the greens in the foreground. Keep all values similar to merge the background into one mass, enhancing depth.
Pro tipAvoid bright highlights or strong darks in the background to maintain a sense of depth.
Embark on your painting journey by thoughtfully designing your composition. Choose a square format to harmonize the rock and bridge elements, and sketch a notan design to balance light and dark areas. Approach your painting as a study, allowing yourself the freedom to experiment and express creativity without the pressure of perfection.
Begin by establishing the darkest darks with a mix of ultramarine blue and cadmium red light, and layer warm grays over this base. Introduce variations in shadow grays by adjusting hues while maintaining consistent darkness. Pay attention to light reflections, especially those bouncing off surfaces like water, and gradually build up the light side with subtle transitions and vibrant greens.
As you refine your painting, maintain a consistent light pattern and avoid overly bright highlights to preserve the scene's believability. Use the edge of your brush for precise dark accents and blend colors harmoniously in the water and sky. Finally, employ a palette knife for organic textures, ensuring your colors remain pure and vibrant.
Points to remember
Use a notan design to establish the balance of light and dark areas.
Keep the dark passages thin to prevent them from standing out too much.
Maintain consistent darkness in shadow greys while varying their hue.
Pay attention to subtle changes in value caused by light reflecting off surfaces like water.
Leave small spaces for rocks when applying foliage colors to maintain a natural look.
Avoid overly bright highlights on rocks to maintain a believable light pattern.
Use the crisp edge of your brush to create fine lines without needing a smaller brush.
Clean the palette knife between strokes to keep the color pure.
