plate no. 9988

Bluffs on the Guadalupe River, 17 Miles above Kerrville, Texas

Robert Julian Onderdonk, 1921

oilImpressionismlandscapelandscaperivertreesbluffsautumnvalley

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve atmospheric perspective and layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth.

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 bluffs, river, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the large shapes of color, blocking in the sky, distant hills, and foreground.
step 03
Develop the values in the bluffs, creating depth and form with light and shadow.
step 04
Add the autumn foliage, using a variety of warm colors and broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the river, paying attention to reflections and the flow of water.
step 06
Refine the details in the foreground, adding texture and interest.
step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and value relationships.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for the dark blues of the bluffs. Use yellow ochre and cadmium red for the autumn foliage. Mix white with other colors to create lighter values and atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·layering
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the foreground.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the landscape.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Ignoring the value relationships between the different elements.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmium red, viridian green, titanium white)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags