plate no. 1610

Alps. Village in the Savoie

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1933

oilExpressionismcityscapebuildingsvillagelandscapeskytreesanimals

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing perspective, color mixing to create a warm and rustic palette, and capturing the essence of light and shadow in a rural scene. Students will also learn to simplify complex forms and create depth through layering and atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and landscape.
step 02
Establish the overall composition and focal point.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and background hills.
step 04
Gradually add details to the buildings, focusing on the light and shadow patterns.
step 05
Mix and apply the colors for the ground, paying attention to the warm tones and variations.
step 06
Add the details of the trees, animals, and other elements in the foreground.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · sap green · cadmium red light

Achieve the warm, earthy tones by mixing raw umber, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. Use ultramarine blue to cool down the shadows and create atmospheric perspective. Mix greens with yellow ochre and ultramarine blue.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·layering
·atmospheric perspective
·color mixing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, leading to a distorted composition.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
→Not paying attention to the light and shadow patterns, resulting in a flat image.
→Using colors that are too saturated, creating an unrealistic effect.