plate no. 2579

Burned Over Land

Tom Thomson, 1916

oil, woodPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapetreesskysunsetforestsilhouette

some experience helpful

This painting provides an opportunity to practice expressive brushstrokes and color mixing to create a vibrant and atmospheric landscape. Students can learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, placement of trees and land masses.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of yellow, orange, and a touch of green.
step 03
Establish the dark silhouettes of the trees and distant hills using dark blues and browns.
step 04
Define the foreground land with reds, browns, and blues, using directional brushstrokes to suggest form.
step 05
Add highlights to the land and trees to create depth and dimension.
step 06
Refine the details of the trees and branches, paying attention to their shapes and angles.
step 07
Adjust the colors and values as needed to create a cohesive and atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium orange · sap green · titanium white

Mix various shades of yellow and orange for the sky, using white to lighten and blue to darken. Create dark tones for the trees by mixing blue, brown, and a touch of red.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·directional brushstrokes
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using too much detail and cluttering the composition.
→Not paying attention to the values and creating a flat, uninteresting image.
→Mixing muddy colors by over-blending.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cadmium orange, sap green, titanium white)
·Canvas or wood panel (12x16 inches)
·Assorted brushes (flat and filbert)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags