67. The End Example of Styles 2017 by Anthony D. Padgett

A solitary dark figure stands on a reddish-brown path receding sharply into the middle distance, anchoring the composition. The dominant light source is a golden-yellow sun radiating from the upper left with bold, directional strokes that fan outward like a starburst. Two blue geometric buildings sit along the path in the middle ground, creating a focal point between the figure and the horizon. Bright green fields flank the path on both sides, with a substantial dark green tree mass on the right. The eye enters at the luminous sun, travels down the path to the figure, then resolves at the distant blue structures—a classic post-impressionist V-composition.

The lightest passage is the sun's core and the white clouds at right, nearly paper-white. Mid-to-light values dominate most of the canvas: the bright greens, pale blue sky, and tan building walls. Dark values are reserved as accents: the navy blue outlines of buildings and the figure's silhouette, deep shadows in the foreground, and the dark tree foliage. When you squint, the path creates a clear value bridge from warm mid-tone to cooler shadow, and the sun reads as a single bright beacon against the rest.

• #FFD700

  Cadmium yellow light with white, possibly a touch of cadmium orange

  The sun's core and its radiating strokes in the upper left

• #4169E1

  Ultramarine blue with white for the sky; deeper ultramarine or prussian blue for buildings

  The bright sky field, the two geometric buildings, and the blue outlines defining forms

• #228B22

  Viridian green with cadmium yellow for bright greens; viridian with alizarin or burnt sienna for darker greens

  The left field, right landscape field, and the large tree mass on the right

• #A0522D

  Raw sienna or burnt sienna mixed with yellow ochre and white

  The reddish-brown path surface and the warm tan walls of the buildings

• #FFFFFF

  Titanium white, possibly tinted with pale blue or yellow

  Cloud highlights at upper right, the sun's brightest center, and reflected light on pale surfaces

• #1a1a1a

  Prussian blue or ultramarine blue darkened with alizarin or burnt sienna

  The figure's silhouette, deep outlines around buildings, and shadow accents in the foreground path

This painting thrives on bold, unblended brushwork and hard edges. The sun's rays are thick, directional strokes that radiate outward with visible paint texture. The path is rendered in diagonal strokes that suggest recession without perspective tricks. Buildings are defined by dark navy outlines (painted on top, not blended), creating a stained-glass quality. Even the greens and sky show visible, gestural marks rather than smooth coverage—the entire surface speaks of the artist's hand and energy.

1. 01

   Map the composition with light charcoal or thinned paint

   Draw the horizon line roughly in the middle-upper third. Mark the sun's position in the upper left. Block in the two blue buildings along a central path line with simple rectangles. Indicate the figure as a single vertical line on the path. Mark the tree mass as a large circular shape on the right. These are just guides—aim for loose proportional relationships rather than precision.

2. 02

   Establish the sky and the dramatic sun

   Lay in a bright blue sky over most of the upper canvas, keeping it lighter toward the horizon. Paint the sun as a roughly circular mass of golden yellow and cadmium orange, then add thick radiant strokes fanning outward in four directions. Leave some orange-yellow visible around the edge to suggest atmospheric glow. This is your light source anchor; treat it boldly.

3. 03

   Block in the middle ground buildings

   Paint the two geometric buildings in deep ultramarine blue, leaving them as simple rectangular volumes. Don't worry about windows or detail. Use a darker, more saturated blue than the sky. Paint their outlines with an even darker navy, establishing hard edges. The building forms should feel like cut-out shapes, not naturalistic.

4. 04

   Establish the receding path

   Paint the foreground path in warm reddish-brown tones (raw sienna plus alizarin) with bold diagonal strokes that suggest perspective narrowing toward the distant buildings. Vary the color slightly—warmer browns in shadow, lighter pinkish tones in sunlit areas. The path should feel substantial and textured, not smooth.

5. 05

   Develop the landscape fields

   Lay in the bright greens on both sides of the path using viridian and cadmium yellow. Don't mix them smoothly on the palette; apply them side-by-side and let them vibrate. The right field (left of tree) can stay brighter; use slightly more saturated greens. Add touches of white and yellow to show the pattern of light across the fields, suggesting crops or texture.

6. 06

   Paint the large tree and add the figure

   Render the tree on the right as a large mass of dark, saturated greens (viridian with burnt sienna for depth). Use visible brushstrokes—don't blend it smooth. Add a small dark silhouette for the figure standing on the path, roughly midway back. Keep the figure simple: a small dark shape that reads at a glance. It's a presence, not a portrait.

7. 07

   Strengthen values and refine the sky clouds

   Add pale, soft clouds at the upper right using white with a hint of lavender or blue. Keep them misty and abbreviated—they shouldn't steal from the sun. Darken shadows on the path with navy-tinted browns. Reinforce the dark outlines around buildings and foreground forms. Assess the overall value range and push your darkest darks darker if needed.

8. 08

   Add expressive final marks and surface energy

   Layer final gestural strokes: add more yellow-orange accents near the sun's rays, reinforce the radiating sun marks with visible directional strokes, add small marks in the green fields to suggest movement and texture. Use a loaded brush and don't over-blend. The painting should feel alive with visible paint application, not finished or polished.

• Painting the sun too smoothly or making it a flat circle—it needs those bold radiating strokes that extend outward and show paint texture. Without the directional energy, it loses its power.
• Over-blending the greens and fields—they should stay rough and textured with visible individual brushstrokes. Smooth blending makes the landscape feel dead and loses the post-impressionist energy.
• Neglecting the navy blue outlines that define buildings and foreground shapes—these are not afterthoughts, they're structural. Establish them early and keep them prominent. Without them, the painting reads as naturalism instead of symbolic form.
• Making the figure too detailed or 'realistic'—it's a silhouette that suggests human presence, not a portrait. A few simple lines and a dark shape are enough; overworking it breaks the composition's abstraction.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility