plate no. 3550

At the Aunts

Constantin Piliuta, 1978

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapevillagehaystacksanimalsfieldhills

suitable for beginners

This painting is great for practicing color mixing to create subtle variations in greens and browns, and for learning how to suggest form with loose, expressive brushstrokes. Students can also develop their understanding of atmospheric perspective by simplifying distant elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: horizon line, hills, buildings, haystacks, and animals.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of pale grey.
step 03
Establish the green field with a base layer of green, varying the hue slightly.
step 04
Add the distant hills using muted greens and blues to create atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Paint the buildings with light grey and white, adding shadows to define form.
step 06
Block in the haystacks with brown, adding highlights and shadows to suggest roundness.
step 07
Paint the animals with light grey and white, using simple shapes to represent their forms.
step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed to create a cohesive composition.

color palette

primary · yellow green · white · brown · grey

secondary · light blue · dark green · yellow

Mix greens by combining yellow and blue with varying amounts of white. Create browns by mixing red, yellow, and blue. Achieve the grey sky by mixing white with a touch of blue and brown.

techniques