plate no. 3603
Amherst Campus No. 1
Fairfield Porter, 1969
some experience helpful
This painting offers a good opportunity to practice simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using a limited palette to create a harmonious color scheme. Students can also learn about creating depth through color and value changes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition: horizon line, major tree masses, building, and car positions.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, distant hills, foreground grass, and tree foliage.
- step 03
Refine the shapes of the trees and buildings, adding details like roof lines and window suggestions.
- step 04
Add the cars in the foreground, paying attention to their basic shapes and shadows.
- step 05
Introduce variations in the grass color to suggest light and shadow, and the path.
- step 06
Add details to the trees, such as branches and individual leaves, using varied brushstrokes.
- step 07
Refine the sky and distant hills, adding subtle color variations.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to the cars and buildings.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · sap green
secondary · titanium white · cadmium red light · raw umber
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue, adjust with white for lighter values. Achieve browns by mixing burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. The sky is a mix of ultramarine blue and white, with a touch of red for the horizon.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·color mixing
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall simplicity.
- →Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Making the colors too saturated and unrealistic.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 8)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil or acrylic medium
- ·mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
optional
- ·easel
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. If using acrylics, consider using a slow-drying medium to allow for more blending time.
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