plate no. 0516

Cornish Landscape

Matthew Smith, 1920

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapetreesfoliagepathvegetationgarden

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. It also encourages simplification of forms and capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the major elements like the path and tree masses.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color using thin washes, starting with the lightest tones and gradually adding darker values.
step 03
Begin to define the shapes of the trees and foliage with bolder, more expressive brushstrokes, varying the direction and pressure of your strokes.
step 04
Mix and apply variations of green, yellow, and blue to create depth and texture in the foliage.
step 05
Use reds and yellows to create the path and the hints of structures in the background.
step 06
Add darker values to create shadows and define the forms of the trees and foliage.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.
step 08
Add final highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · viridian green · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red · burnt sienna

Mix greens by blending yellow ochre and viridian green. Create darker greens by adding ultramarine blue. Use cadmium red and burnt sienna for the path and background elements, adjusting with white for lighter tones.

techniques