plate no. 3066

August Pasture

Charles E. Burchfield, 1921

oilNew Realismlandscapecowstree stumpfieldskycloudsgrass

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating atmospheric perspective and rendering organic shapes with limited color palettes. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic forms.

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: horizon line, tree stump, cow groupings, and cloud formations.
step 02
Establish the base tone for the sky using a diluted wash of blue and brown.
step 03
Block in the general colors of the field with a mix of browns, yellows, and greens, varying the tones for depth.
step 04
Paint the tree stump, focusing on capturing its texture and form with varying shades of brown and grey.
step 05
Add the cows, simplifying their shapes and using darker tones for those further away.
step 06
Define the clouds with soft edges, using lighter tones than the sky.
step 07
Add details like the dead plant in the stump and individual blades of grass in the foreground.
step 08
Refine the values and edges to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing the primary colors with white and small amounts of the secondary colors. Use more blue for the sky and more yellow/brown for the field.

techniques