plate no. 5795

After the rain

Jacques Sterenberg, 2020

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapetreesfieldsmountainsskyhills

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex landscapes into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to create texture and form. It also provides practice in color mixing and understanding atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the landscape: mountains, fields, and trees.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, adding darker blues for cloud definition.
step 03
Paint the distant mountains using muted blues and grays, suggesting atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Apply a base layer of yellow to the upper field, varying the tone slightly.
step 05
Paint the lower fields with varying shades of green, using diagonal strokes to suggest rows.
step 06
Add the trees, starting with the trunks and then the foliage, using a mix of greens and blues.
step 07
Define the shadows under the trees and between the rows of the fields with darker greens and browns.
step 08
Refine the details and add any final touches to balance the composition.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · sap green

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and sap green, adjusting the ratio for different shades. Use white to lighten colors for highlights and blues with white to create atmospheric perspective in the mountains and sky.

techniques

·blocking in
·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·simplified forms

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive brushstrokes.
→Not varying the greens and yellows enough, resulting in a flat field.
→Making the mountain colors too saturated, which will reduce the sense of distance.
→Failing to simplify the tree forms, leading to a cluttered appearance.