plate no. 4661

Ajax

John Steuart Curry, 1937

oilRegionalismanimal paintingbulllandscapeanimalsskycloudsbirds

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering animal anatomy and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve realistic skin tones and landscape hues.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the bull, landscape, and clouds, paying attention to proportions and perspective.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for the sky, ground, and bull using thinned paint.
step 03
Begin layering darker tones to define the shadows and form of the bull.
step 04
Add highlights to the bull and landscape to create a sense of volume and light.
step 05
Refine the details of the bull's head, legs, and markings.
step 06
Develop the texture of the grass and foliage with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Paint the clouds with soft, blended edges to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add the birds as a final detail, paying attention to their small size and delicate forms.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cerulean blue · sap green · raw sienna

Mix browns by combining burnt umber with yellow ochre and white. Achieve greens by mixing cerulean blue and yellow ochre. Use white to lighten all colors and create highlights.

techniques