plate no. 5254

Burnt-Over Forest

Tom Thomson, 1916

oil, woodPost-Impressionismlandscapetreesforestlandscapeskycloudshill

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying a complex scene 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 major tree trunks and the distant hill.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, adding white and gray for the clouds.
step 03
Establish the dark mass of the distant hill using a mix of dark blue, purple, and brown.
step 04
Paint the foreground with a base of yellow ochre, adding variations of orange, green, and brown to create depth and texture.
step 05
Add the tree trunks using dark brown and black, highlighting the edges with touches of orange and red to suggest sunlight.
step 06
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create the foliage and undergrowth, varying the colors to add interest.
step 07
Refine the details of the clouds and the foreground, paying attention to the direction of light and shadow.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall impression of the scene.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium orange · alizarin crimson · viridian green

Mix the sky blues by adding white to ultramarine blue. Use burnt umber and ultramarine blue for the dark tones of the trees and hills. Mix yellow ochre with small amounts of orange and green for the foreground.

techniques