plate no. 7142

A Scene on the Ice near Dordrecht

oilBaroquelandscapeicefiguresskybuildingsboatstown

some experience helpful

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

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the horizon line, major shapes of the buildings, and the overall composition.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of muted yellows and grays, blending the colors softly.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the buildings and ice using a limited palette of earth tones.
step 04
Gradually add details to the buildings, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and texture.
step 05
Begin adding figures, starting with the larger ones in the foreground and gradually decreasing in size towards the background.
step 06
Use thin washes of color to create the illusion of distance and atmospheric perspective.
step 07
Add details to the boats and other objects in the scene.
step 08
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · burnt sienna · Prussian blue · red ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth colors with white and small amounts of black or blue. Use thin washes to create subtle color variations and atmospheric effects.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·figure drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.
→Making the figures too uniform in size and shape.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, ivory black, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags