plate no. 7345

Amusement on the Ice

oil, canvasBaroquegenre paintingfiguresicewinterlandscapebuildingtrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a landscape and creating atmospheric perspective with subtle color variations. It also provides practice in rendering textures like ice and brick.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the major shapes: the building, the ice surface, and the groups of figures.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of blue, blending it subtly towards the horizon.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the building and the trees with their basic colors, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Start adding the figures, focusing on their general forms and proportions before adding details.
step 05
Develop the ice surface, using horizontal strokes and subtle color variations to suggest its flatness and reflectivity.
step 06
Add details to the building, including the snow on the roof and the texture of the brick.
step 07
Refine the figures, adding details to their clothing and faces.
step 08
Add final touches, such as the bare branches of the trees and the subtle atmospheric haze.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve the muted tones by mixing earth tones with white and small amounts of blue. Use glazes of thinned color to create depth and atmosphere.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·figure drawing
·rendering textures

common pitfalls

→overworking the details too early
→making the colors too bright and saturated
→not establishing a clear light source
→ignoring the subtle color variations in the ice

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·raw umber oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·Prussian blue oil paint
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·linseed oil
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·medium gloss
·easel

Use a canvas with a fine weave to allow for smooth blending and subtle details. Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the overall color harmony.

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