plate no. 3938

BLAUER KEGELBERG

Gabriele Munter, 1930

oilExpressionismlandscapemountainslandscapeskycloudshills

suitable for beginners

This painting is great for practicing color mixing to achieve muted tones and layering simple shapes to create depth. Students will also develop skills in simplifying complex landscapes into basic forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, hills, and sky.
step 02
Block in the main colors for each area: dark blue for the mountains, green for the hills, and purple/pink for the sky.
step 03
Add darker values to the mountains to create shadows and depth.
step 04
Layer lighter greens on the hills to create highlights and texture.
step 05
Blend the colors in the sky to create a soft, cloudy effect.
step 06
Add details to the clouds and the moon.
step 07
Refine the edges of the shapes to create a more defined composition.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Emerald green · Titanium white

secondary · Purple · Pink · Yellow

Mix Prussian blue with a touch of purple and white for the mountain shadows. Use emerald green with yellow and white for the highlights on the hills. Mix white with pink and purple for the sky.

techniques

·Blocking in
·Layering
·Blending
·Dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Over-blending, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Not establishing a clear value structure.
→Making the colors too saturated.
→Losing the simplicity of the shapes.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Acrylic or oil paints (Prussian blue, Emerald green, Titanium white, Purple, Pink, Yellow)
·Round brushes (#4, #8)
·Flat brush (#6)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
·Linseed oil (if using oil paints)