plate no. 3142

Cascades (Quiet Solitude)

Maxfield Parrish, 1959

oilSymbolismlandscapetreesrockswaterlandscapeforestwaterfall

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to convey distance.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, rocks, and waterfall.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, starting with the sky and water.
step 03
Layer in the darker values on the rocks and trees, building up texture with short brushstrokes.
step 04
Add highlights to the water and rocks to create a sense of light and reflection.
step 05
Refine the details of the trees, adding branches and leaves with a smaller brush.
step 06
Glaze thin layers of color to unify the painting and create depth.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the waterfall and foreground elements.
step 08
Let dry and varnish.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian green · cadmium orange · titanium white

Achieve the muted greens by mixing yellow ochre with viridian green and a touch of blue. Use burnt sienna and ultramarine blue to create the darker tones in the rocks and trees. Mix white with small amounts of other colors to create highlights.

techniques