plate no. 7182
Autumn landscape with hunter
Isaac Levitan, 1880
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective, color mixing for natural tones, and creating texture with brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in capturing the mood of a landscape.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective of the path and the placement of the trees, hunter and dog.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light, muted color, establishing the overall value.
- step 03
Establish the dark masses of the trees on either side of the path, using a mix of browns and greens.
- step 04
Paint the path with varying shades of green and brown, indicating the grass and fallen leaves.
- step 05
Add the hunter and dog, paying attention to their proportions and placement within the scene.
- step 06
Begin adding details to the trees, using thin lines and varying brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the grass and leaves to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · sap green
secondary · raw sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light
Mix browns with blues and reds for the tree trunks. Use yellow ochre and sap green mixed with white for the grass. Muted grays for the sky are achieved by mixing complementary colors.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details, losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated, resulting in an unnatural look.
- →Ignoring the perspective of the path and trees, creating a flat or distorted image.
- →Failing to create enough variation in the brushstrokes, resulting in a monotonous texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. Consider using a pre-toned canvas with a light brown or gray wash.
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