plate no. 6845

Broadheath Common

oilRealismgenre paintingskycloudsfieldfigurebirdspath

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and loose, expressive brushwork. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of the figure and path.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of light and dark grays, suggesting cloud formations.
step 03
Establish the basic values of the field, using a mix of greens and browns.
step 04
Paint the path with warm browns and reds, indicating its recession into the distance.
step 05
Add the figure and the birds, paying attention to their relative scale and placement.
step 06
Refine the details of the clouds and the foreground vegetation.
step 07
Add shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the color and value relationships to create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow light

Mix various shades of gray for the sky by combining white, blue, and umber. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre to create the warm tones of the path. Mix greens by combining blue and yellow with touches of umber to desaturate.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Failing to create a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Making the figure too detailed and drawing attention away from the overall scene.