plate no. 4761

By The River

oilImpressionismgenre paintingfiguretreeswaterduckfoliagegrass

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow in a natural setting, as well as practicing loose, impressionistic brushwork to create texture and depth. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the figure, trees, water, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, grass, trees, and water, using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the basic values: darks in the trees and shadows, lights in the sky and highlights on the grass.
step 04
Begin adding details to the figure, focusing on the folds of the clothing and the facial features.
step 05
Develop the foliage with short, broken brushstrokes, using a variety of greens and yellows.
step 06
Add reflections in the water, using slightly darker and blurred versions of the surrounding colors.
step 07
Paint the duck with simple shapes and values, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · sap green · ultramarine blue · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · titanium white · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow light

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow. Use white to lighten values and create highlights. Create shadows by adding umber or sienna to the base colors.

techniques