plate no. 2187
Autumn in France
Emily Carr, 1911
some experience helpful
This painting is great for learning about expressive color and broken color techniques. Recreating it will help students understand how to build form with color and create dynamic compositions.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, fields, and trees, focusing on the overall composition.
- step 02
Apply a base layer of yellow to the fields and areas where yellow will be dominant.
- step 03
Block in the mountain with broad strokes of orange, red, green, and yellow, following the contours.
- step 04
Add the darker greens and browns to the foreground trees and foliage, using short, broken strokes.
- step 05
Define the sky with blues and yellows, using a similar broken color technique.
- step 06
Add details to the buildings, using reds and whites.
- step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, adjusting the intensity and contrast as needed.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to create depth and visual interest.
color palette
primary · yellow · green · red · blue
secondary · orange · white · brown
Mix greens by combining blues and yellows. Achieve oranges by mixing reds and yellows. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Creating flat, uniform areas of color instead of using broken color.
- →Losing the overall composition by focusing too much on details early on.
- →Not varying brushstrokes enough to create texture and visual interest.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oils)
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a variety of brush sizes to create different effects. Consider using a palette knife for applying thick layers of paint.
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