plate no. 0201

Asleep beneath the fig-tree and a chimney

Yiannis Tsaroychis, 1965

oilExpressionismgenre paintingbuildingschimneysmokefiguresskyvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes and creating atmospheric perspective with watercolor. It also provides practice in suggesting form with loose brushstrokes and limited detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, chimney, figures, and vegetation.
step 02
Apply a light wash of yellow ochre across the sky area.
step 03
Add the darker tones of the buildings and chimney using a mix of burnt umber and Payne's gray.
step 04
Create the smoke and clouds with diluted Payne's gray, using soft, blended strokes.
step 05
Paint the vegetation with a mix of green and brown, using short, broken strokes to suggest leaves.
step 06
Add details to the figures with a fine brush, using diluted washes of brown and pink.
step 07
Strengthen the shadows and add final details to the buildings and vegetation.
step 08
Evaluate and adjust values and details as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · Payne's gray

secondary · sap green · titanium white

Mix yellow ochre with a touch of burnt umber for the warm tones in the sky and buildings. Use Payne's gray diluted with water for the smoke and shadows. Mix sap green with burnt umber to create natural-looking greens for the vegetation.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·atmospheric perspective
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Using colors that are too saturated
→Not allowing washes to dry completely before layering
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paints
·watercolor paper 140lb
·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 10)
·water container
·palette
·paper towels

optional

·masking fluid
·palette knife
·spray bottle

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for better blending. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve a variety of textures.

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