plate no. 3517

Blueberry Burn Morey's Hill

Neil Welliver, 1997

oil, canvasContemporary Realismlandscapemountainskyrockslandscapeclouds

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing blocking in shapes and using visible brushstrokes to create texture. Students will also learn about simplifying complex scenes into basic forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, rocks, and sky.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 03
Paint the mountain with a flat green, adding darker greens for the trees.
step 04
Block in the dark areas of the rocks with a dark brown/black mix.
step 05
Add highlights to the rocks with browns, grays, and whites, using visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the shapes and edges of the rocks, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 07
Add small details like the individual trees on the mountain.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create depth.

color palette

primary · light blue · green · dark brown/black

secondary · white · gray · tan

Mix different shades of green by combining primary blue and yellow with white. Create the dark rock color by mixing brown and black, adding small amounts of blue to cool it down.

techniques