plate no. 6090
Big Flowage
Neil Welliver, 1979
some experience helpful
This painting offers practice in capturing cloud formations and their reflections in water using simplified shapes and visible brushstrokes. Students will learn to create depth through layering and color variations.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, cloud shapes, and general water area.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, leaving space for clouds.
- step 03
Paint the cloud shapes with white and gray mixtures, paying attention to their forms and shadows.
- step 04
Establish the tree line with dark green, simplifying the details.
- step 05
Mix various shades of blue, gray, and white to represent the water and cloud reflections.
- step 06
Add the beaver lodge shapes with dark browns and grays.
- step 07
Introduce lily pads in the foreground with dark greens and browns.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create depth and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · titanium white · sap green
secondary · raw umber · payne's gray · yellow ochre
Mix white with blue to create various shades of sky and cloud colors. Combine green with umber for the trees and lily pads. Use Payne's gray to darken colors and create shadows.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·wet-on-dry
- ·simplified shapes
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the clouds and losing their airy quality.
- →Making the reflections too symmetrical.
- →Adding too much detail to the trees, making them appear flat.
- →Not varying the colors enough in the water, resulting in a monotonous surface.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic gesso
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·assorted flat brushes
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·palette scraper
- ·easel
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a quick-drying medium to speed up the drying time.
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