plate no. 2687

Autumn Oaks

Grant Wood, 1933

oilRegionalismlandscapetreeslandscapeautumnfoliageshadowsfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in earth tones and practice layering techniques to create depth and texture in foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue-green.
step 03
Establish the base color for the field using a mid-tone brown-orange.
step 04
Begin layering the foliage with darker and lighter shades of orange and brown to create depth.
step 05
Paint the tree trunks with variations of brown and gray, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 06
Add the shadows cast by the trees, using a darker, cooler brown.
step 07
Refine the details of the foliage and the texture of the field.
step 08
Add final highlights to the leaves and grass to create a sense of light.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Achieve the various earth tones by mixing burnt sienna, raw umber, and white in different proportions. Add small amounts of blue or yellow to adjust the temperature of the colors.

techniques