plate no. 9079

Balmoral castle, drawn by Leitch, engraved by J. Godfrey

oilRomanticismlandscapelandscapecastlemountainstreesfiguresriver

recreation guide

This artwork is a topographical landscape of Balmoral Castle, created by William Leighton Leitch in 1875. Leitch was a master of landscape art known for his 'graceful composition,' 'pure colour,' and 'brilliant effects of atmosphere,' heavily influenced by J.M.W. Turner (Source 8). As a Romantic-era landscape painter, the work likely emphasizes the spiritual and atmospheric qualities of the natural scenery, including sky and weather, which are central to the genre's Western tradition (Source 4, Source 5). The piece is executed in oil, a medium chosen for its flexibility, rich color density, and capacity for layering, which allows for the nuanced atmospheric effects characteristic of Leitch’s style (Source 3).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil	Primary binder for pigments; provides flexibility and drying time control.	Refined linseed oil or cold-pressed poppy oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes.	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Oil of Copavia (or modern damar/resin varnish)	Medium for glazing and increasing transparency, as noted in historical practice.	Damar resin varnish mixed with oil
Pigments: Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre/Red Ochre	Core palette for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing.	Standard oil paints in these hues
Canvas or Wood Panel	Support surface.	Linen canvas primed with gesso

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support such as a wood panel or tightly stretched linen canvas. Prime with a traditional oil ground or modern acrylic gesso to create a smooth, non-absorbent surface suitable for glazing techniques. Leitch’s work, being based on 'profound study of nature,' requires a surface that can hold fine atmospheric details without excessive tooth that might disrupt smooth glazes (Source 8).

underdrawing

Begin with a light contour drawing to establish the mass and volume of the castle and landscape elements. While Leitch’s specific preparatory sketches are not detailed in the sources, contour drawing is an essential foundation for emphasizing form and space in landscape composition (Source 7). Ensure the perspective and scaling for distance are accurate, as coherent landscape depiction requires a rough system of perspective (Source 5).

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white. This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure of the landscape. This method aligns with the practice described by Sir Joshua Reynolds, who used black, ultramarine, and white for his first and second paintings (Source 1). This underpainting serves as the structural foundation for the subsequent color glazes.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting and sky tones; provides cool depth.

White

Lead white or Titanium white

Highlighting and mixing with ultramarine/black for grisaille.

Black

Ivory black or Lamp black

Shadows and structural definition in the grisaille.

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, or Vermilion

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and atmospheric color, applied over the dry grisaille.

composition

The composition should reflect Leitch’s characteristic 'graceful composition' and 'brilliant effects of atmosphere' (Source 8). As a topographical view, it must depict the specific place of Balmoral Castle with accuracy, yet arranged into a coherent composition where the sky and weather play an important role (Source 4). The landscape should likely bridge the gap between foreground details and a distant panoramic vista, a common challenge in landscape art (Source 5).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the outline of Balmoral Castle and surrounding landscape using light lines to establish mass and volume.
Tip — Focus on the overall shape and perspective rather than minor details.
Contour drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish the tonal values of the scene. Mentally exclude red and yellow colors at this stage.
Tip — Ensure the tonal contrast is sufficient to support the final image.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones using oil or a mix of varnish and oil.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to build up color depth without obscuring the underpainting.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create atmospheric effects, particularly in the sky and distant landscapes.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds can create a grey bloom, useful for atmospheric haze.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the atmospheric effects and color harmony, ensuring the 'pure colour' and 'brilliant effects of atmosphere' characteristic of Leitch’s style.
Tip — Check for color contrast and harmony, ensuring the landscape feels cohesive.
Atmospheric perspective

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance the depth of the glazes.
Tip — Use a resin-based varnish to unify the surface sheen.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. This was a common practice among old masters and is essential for achieving the rich color effects in oil painting.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to modify tones and create atmospheric effects, such as grey blooms in the sky or distant landscapes.

Grisaille Underpainting

Establishing the tonal structure of the painting in monochrome before adding color, allowing for precise control over light and shadow.

common pitfalls

→Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the underpainting.
→Over-modeling details too early, which can disrupt the atmospheric coherence of the landscape.
→Ignoring the importance of sky and weather in the composition, which are critical elements in Romantic landscape painting.
→Using opaque colors instead of glazes, which can result in a flat, less luminous appearance.

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigments used by Leitch in this particular painting are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and support material (canvas vs. panel) for this specific work are not provided.
·Detailed information on Leitch’s specific brushwork techniques for foliage and architectural details is lacking.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to General oil painting properties and materials.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to Context of landscape genre and topographical views.
- Landscape painting — part 2 — applied to Romanticism and atmospheric effects in landscape art.
Wikipedia bio — William Leighton Leitch↗
- part 2 — applied to Artist’s style, influence of Turner, and compositional characteristics.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique for establishing form and mass.