plate no. 2232

Blühende Bäume

Willy Schlobach, 1908

oilImpressionismlandscapetreeshouselandscapeapplesfoliagegarden

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as using broken color techniques to represent light and shadow. It's a good exercise in capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the house, tree, and ground, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in large areas of color for the sky, ground, and house.
step 03
Begin layering colors on the house, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and suggest details.
step 04
Paint the tree trunk and branches, using a variety of browns and grays.
step 05
Add the foliage, using a mix of greens, yellows, and oranges to create a sense of depth and vibrancy.
step 06
Paint the apples with dabs of red and highlights of yellow and orange.
step 07
Add details to the ground, using a mix of greens, yellows, and blues to create a sense of texture and depth.
step 08
Refine the painting by adding highlights and shadows, and adjusting the colors as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian green

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

Mix greens by combining viridian green and yellow ochre. Create various browns by mixing burnt umber with ultramarine blue and/or cadmium red. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·layering
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the impressionistic style.
→Using too much detail and not enough suggestion.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, cadmium red, viridian green, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags