plate no. 0501
Blommande Sommar
Eero Järnefelt, 1918
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding how to depict reflections in water. It also provides practice in rendering foliage and atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the stream's perspective and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, suggesting cloud formations.
- step 03
Establish the main areas of greenery with varying shades of green, from dark to light.
- step 04
Add the darker values along the stream banks and in the shadows of the foliage.
- step 05
Begin layering in details such as individual blades of grass and flower stalks.
- step 06
Introduce the pink and white flower accents, varying their size and placement.
- step 07
Paint the reflections in the stream, using slightly muted versions of the surrounding colors.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · sap green · titanium white · alizarin crimson
secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · ultramarine blue
Mix greens by blending blues and yellows, adding white for highlights and umber for shadows. Achieve the pinks by mixing alizarin crimson with white, and adjust the hue with a touch of blue or yellow.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·wet-on-dry layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
- →Making the colors too saturated and unnatural.
- →Failing to create a convincing sense of depth in the landscape.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the reflections.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·oil paints (cerulean blue, sap green, titanium white, alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, raw umber, ultramarine blue)
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·assorted round and flat brushes
- ·palette knife
- ·palette
- ·rags
optional
- ·retouch varnish
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for better paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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