plate no. 0477

Autumn moon at Tamagawa, two boats fishing at night

oilUkiyo-elandscapelandscaperiverboatsmoonmountainfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create depth using color and value. It will also provide practice in rendering water and reflections.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the mountain, river, and landmasses.
step 02
Block in the sky with a gradient from dark blue to light blue.
step 03
Paint the mountain with light gray and white, suggesting snow.
step 04
Add the river with varying shades of blue, reflecting the sky.
step 05
Paint the landmasses with greens and browns, adding details like trees and houses.
step 06
Add the boats and figures, paying attention to their placement and scale.
step 07
Include the moon and its reflection in the water.
step 08
Add final details and refine the colors and values.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Titanium white · Yellow ochre

secondary · Burnt umber · Sap green · Light grey

Mix blues and white for the sky and water, adding small amounts of yellow ochre to warm the blues. Use burnt umber and white to create the greys for the mountain.

techniques

·Layering
·Blending
·Atmospheric perspective
·Linear perspective
·Color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall simplicity.
→Not creating enough contrast between the sky and the water.
→Making the mountain too bright and overpowering the scene.
→Incorrect perspective in the boats and buildings.

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Acrylic paints (Prussian blue, Titanium white, Yellow ochre, Burnt umber, Sap green)
·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·Flat brush (size 8)
·Palette
·Water container
·Paper towels