plate no. 6171

At Close of Day

Maxfield Parrish, 1941

oilRomanticismlandscapelandscapetreessnowbuildingskywinter

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle gradients and atmospheric perspective, as well as practicing detailed rendering of tree branches and architectural elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and buildings.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by applying a thin wash of the background color (a mix of blues and greens).
step 03
Begin layering the sky with subtle gradients, blending the colors smoothly.
step 04
Block in the shapes of the trees and buildings with darker values.
step 05
Add details to the trees, paying attention to the intricate branch structure.
step 06
Develop the snow-covered ground with varying shades of gray and blue.
step 07
Add highlights to the buildings and trees to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · Prussian Blue · Viridian Green · Titanium White

secondary · Burnt Umber · Yellow Ochre

Achieve the sky's gradient by gradually lightening the blue-green mix with white. Use burnt umber and white to create the grays for the snow and buildings, adding touches of blue to cool them down.

techniques

·glazing
·dry brushing
·atmospheric perspective
·color blending
·detailed linework

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Neglecting the subtle value changes in the snow.
→Oversimplifying the tree branch structure.
→Creating harsh lines instead of soft transitions.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Acrylic or oil paints
·Round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
·Flat brushes (sizes 6, 8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
·Linseed oil or acrylic glazing medium

optional

·Easel
·Rags
·Reference photo print

Using a toned canvas can help establish the overall color scheme more quickly. Consider using a glazing medium to enhance the depth and luminosity of the colors.

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