plate no. 1332

A house between trees

oil, woodImpressionismlandscapehousetreeslandscapefieldskyvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in broken color techniques and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: horizon line, house, trees, and field.
step 02
Establish the sky with thin washes of light blue and grey.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the field, using greens, yellows, and browns.
step 04
Add the house, focusing on its light and shadow, and the wall.
step 05
Paint the trees and bushes with broken color, layering greens, blues, and purples.
step 06
Refine the details of the house and trees, adding small touches of color.
step 07
Adjust values and colors to create depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · sap green · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and cerulean blue. Create variations in the field by adding small amounts of burnt umber or ultramarine blue to the green mixture. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric haze.

techniques

·broken color
·dry brush
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that create depth.
→Making the composition too symmetrical.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (yellow ochre, sap green, cerulean blue, titanium white, burnt umber, ultramarine blue)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brush (#6)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife