plate no. 3514
CATTLE IN A LANDSCAPE
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and loose, expressive brushwork to suggest form rather than define it precisely. It's a good exercise in capturing the overall impression of a scene.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the general placement of the trees and cattle.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light washes of beige, pink, and blue, blending softly.
- step 03
Establish the base color of the field using a mix of greens and browns.
- step 04
Add darker greens and browns to the foreground to create depth.
- step 05
Use small, quick strokes to indicate the cattle, focusing on their shapes and shadows.
- step 06
Add highlights to the cattle and the field to suggest light.
- step 07
Refine the shapes of the trees and add darker accents to create form.
- step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments to the values and colors.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · cerulean blue · alizarin crimson
Achieve the sky colors by mixing white with small amounts of blue, pink, and yellow ochre. The field is a mix of yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of blue for the greens.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
- →Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image.
- →Making the cattle too defined and realistic.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and failing to create depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brush (size 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
A toned canvas (e.g., with a thin wash of burnt umber) can be helpful for establishing the overall color harmony.
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