plate no. 0403

A Scene on the Ice

oilBaroquelandscapefiguresiceboatsskylandscapewinter

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering figures in a landscape setting. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and distance through subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, boats, and main figure groupings.
step 02
Establish the sky with a light, blended wash of blues and whites.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the boats and figures using simplified forms and local colors.
step 04
Develop the ice surface with subtle variations of white, gray, and hints of blue and brown.
step 05
Add details to the figures, paying attention to their clothing and gestures.
step 06
Refine the boats, adding rigging and other details.
step 07
Use atmospheric perspective to push the background elements further away, reducing detail and softening colors.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing white with small amounts of umber, sienna, and blue. Use red and yellow sparingly for accents in the figures' clothing.

techniques