plate no. 4342
Avant L'orage
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using bold, expressive brushstrokes to define form and texture. It also encourages experimentation with color and non-traditional color palettes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the landscape, figure, and boats.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and background.
- step 03
Add the main colors for the hills, water, and foreground.
- step 04
Define the shapes of the trees and other landscape elements with darker greens and blues.
- step 05
Paint the figure and boats, using simplified shapes and colors.
- step 06
Add details like the birds and highlights to create depth.
- step 07
Refine the edges and shapes as needed.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors to match the original painting.
color palette
primary · red · blue · green · yellow
secondary · purple · pink · brown · white
Mix various shades of red and pink for the sky and hills. Create greens by mixing blue and yellow, and purples by mixing red and blue. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·color mixing
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·simplification
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →overworking the details
- →using too many colors
- →not simplifying the shapes enough
- →being afraid to use bold colors
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·acrylic paints
- ·canvas 12x16
- ·assorted brushes
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·medium retarder
Use heavy body acrylics for better coverage and texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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