plate no. 3489

A Young Woman in the Artist's Garden, Courrières

oilRealismgenre paintinggardenwomantreesvegetationbuildingsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting natural light and shadow, as well as creating depth through atmospheric perspective and layering of details. It also offers practice in rendering organic shapes and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, paying attention to the placement of the figure, building, and trees.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main color masses: sky, foliage, ground, and the figure's clothing.
step 04
Begin refining the details of the foliage, using varied greens and browns to create texture.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to the figure to give it form and dimension.
step 06
Develop the details of the building, paying attention to the effects of light and shadow.
step 07
Refine the foreground vegetation, adding details to the cabbages and other plants.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · sap green · burnt umber · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows with varying amounts of brown. Achieve atmospheric perspective by lightening and desaturating colors as they recede into the distance.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing
·atmospheric perspective
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of light and atmosphere.
→Using too much detail in the background, which can flatten the image.
→Failing to create a strong value structure, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Not varying the greens enough, resulting in a monotonous landscape.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (sap green, burnt umber, cerulean blue, titanium white, cadmium red, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags