plate no. 8584

Blossoming Almonds (Landscape in Italy)

Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary, 1902

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapetreesmountainpathfoliagesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering values to create depth and understanding how to simplify complex forms in nature. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted, natural tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the mountain, hills, and trees.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of white and grey.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the hills and mountains using dark browns and greens.
step 04
Add the path and foreground elements, paying attention to their perspective.
step 05
Begin layering values to create depth and form in the hills and mountains.
step 06
Paint the trees, starting with the dark trunks and branches, then adding the foliage.
step 07
Add details to the foreground, such as the rocks and foliage.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting values and adding highlights.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · sap green

secondary · cadmium red light · yellow ochre · raw sienna

Mix browns by combining burnt umber with small amounts of red, yellow, and green. Achieve the muted greens by mixing sap green with burnt umber and white. The pink blossoms are achieved by mixing cadmium red light with white.

techniques