plate no. 7068

Blue-Black Fox

Franz Marc, 1911

oil, canvasExpressionismsymbolic paintingfoxanimallandscapetreesfoliagenature

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color relationships and how to use bold brushstrokes to define form and create an expressive mood. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes into more abstract forms.

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 fox, landscape, and background with light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: yellow for the sky, blue for the background, green for the ground, and orange/red for the foreground.
step 03
Mix the colors for the fox, starting with a dark base and adding highlights with lighter shades of purple and white.
step 04
Apply the paint with visible brushstrokes, following the contours of the forms.
step 05
Refine the shapes and colors, paying attention to the transitions between different areas.
step 06
Add details to the fox's face and body, using smaller brushstrokes.
step 07
Adjust the overall composition and color balance to create a harmonious effect.
step 08
Add final details and highlights.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Lemon yellow · Emerald green · Alizarin crimson

secondary · Titanium white · Burnt umber · Violet

Mix the fox's fur by combining Prussian blue, Alizarin crimson, and Burnt umber, adding white for highlights. Achieve the greens by mixing Lemon yellow and Prussian blue.

techniques

·Impasto
·Color blocking
·Simplified forms
·Expressive brushwork
·Color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Creating muddy colors
→Losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes
→Not simplifying the forms enough

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Lemon yellow, Emerald green, Alizarin crimson, Titanium white, Burnt umber)
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags