plate no. 1454
A View in Palestine
Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1899
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering colors to create depth. Students will also learn to suggest detail with loose brushwork rather than precise rendering.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major landforms.
- step 02
Establish the sky with a base layer of dark blue and gray, blending towards the horizon.
- step 03
Block in the distant fields with light ochre and yellow tones, gradually darkening towards the foreground.
- step 04
Paint the dark mass of trees on the left side, using a mix of dark greens and browns.
- step 05
Add details to the foreground hills, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture and form.
- step 06
Create the suggestion of paths and tracks in the fields with lighter, desaturated colors.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the trees and hills, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 08
Add final details, such as small bushes and rocks, to enhance the realism of the scene.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · sap green · raw sienna · payne's gray
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use glazes of thinned paint to create depth and atmospheric perspective.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
- →Creating too much contrast in the foreground, flattening the perspective.
- →Using colors that are too saturated, making the painting look unnatural.
- →Not establishing a clear value structure early on.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, sap green, raw sienna, payne's gray)
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (rounds and flats)
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-grit canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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