plate no. 3085

Connecticut Hillside

Emil Carlsen, 1920

oilImpressionismlandscapelandscapetreeshillsskycloudsbuilding

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and textures. It's a good exercise in understanding atmospheric perspective and color mixing for natural light.

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 major shapes of the hills and trees.
step 02
Establish the sky with light blue and white, blending softly to create cloud shapes.
step 03
Block in the distant hills with muted greens and blues, using a lighter value for the more distant areas.
step 04
Paint the field with a base of yellow ochre and raw sienna, adding variations in tone and texture.
step 05
Begin layering the trees, starting with darker greens and gradually adding lighter highlights.
step 06
Add the small building with a touch of red-brown, keeping it simple and understated.
step 07
Refine the details of the trees and foliage, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · viridian green · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining viridian green with yellow ochre and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create muted grays for the distant hills and shadows.

techniques

·broken color
·layering
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not reflecting the muted tones of the landscape.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and distance.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform and lacking in variety.