plate no. 0209
Chapel with tree
Konstantinos Maleas, 1920
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve muted tones and practice layering brushstrokes to create texture and form.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, building, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, field, and tree masses.
- step 03
Begin layering darker values to define the shapes of the trees and add depth to the field.
- step 04
Add lighter values to create highlights and suggest form.
- step 05
Refine the details of the building and the smaller trees.
- step 06
Work on the sky, blending colors to create soft, swirling clouds.
- step 07
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
- step 08
Sign your name.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow
Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for the earth tones. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding small amounts of yellow ochre to create muted blues. Mix sap green with yellow ochre and burnt umber for the greens.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering
- ·color mixing
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Creating overly sharp edges, losing the softness of the original.
- →Ignoring the subtle value shifts in the field and sky.
- →Making the colors too saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushwork.
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