plate no. 5371
Countryside at summer
David Burliuk, 1946
recreation guide
David Burliuk’s 'Countryside at summer' (1946) represents a late-career return to landscape painting, distinct from his earlier, more aggressive Futurist and Neo-Primitivist works. While Burliuk is historically recognized as a 'father of Russian Futurism' and associated with avant-garde scandal and abstraction (Source 4, Source 6), this specific work is classified under Realism. This suggests a stylistic shift toward depicting natural scenery—such as trees, forests, or wide views—with a coherent composition, consistent with general landscape painting traditions (Source 3). The artwork likely reflects Burliuk’s lifelong dream of portraying his adopted country, the United States, or his native Ukraine, as he frequently set images of his homeland to canvas in his later years (Source 6).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and adjust drying time; essential for 'fat over lean' layering | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) |
| Charcoal | Initial sketching and underdrawing on the canvas | — |
| Paintbrushes and palette knives | Application of paint; knives can be used for scraping or impasto | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas primed with gesso |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for this 1946 work are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practice involves ensuring the surface is stable to prevent cracking. Burliuk’s training in Munich and Odessa (Source 6) would have instilled standard academic preparation techniques.
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). This allows for corrections before paint is applied, as charcoal offers little resistance to a brush and can be easily adjusted (Source 5). Ensure the composition includes a sky and weather elements, as these are almost always included in landscape views (Source 3).
underpainting
Apply an initial layer of paint using a lean mixture (more solvent, less oil) to establish the tonal values. This aligns with the 'fat over lean' rule, where the first layers contain less oil to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking in subsequent layers (Source 1). A monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using earth tones like raw umber and white can help establish form before color is introduced (Source 5).
color palette
Earth tones (Raw Umber, White)
Raw umber, Titanium White
Initial underpainting and establishing values (Source 5)
Greens and Browns
Viridian, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber
Depicting trees, forests, and countryside elements typical of landscape painting (Source 3)
Blues and Whites
Ultramarine, Titanium White
Sky and weather elements, which are essential components of landscape composition (Source 3)
Reds and Yellows
Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and depth, particularly in summer foliage (Source 2)
composition
The composition should arrange natural scenery elements—such as mountains, valleys, rivers, trees, or forests—into a coherent whole (Source 3). As a realist landscape, it likely depicts a wide view with the sky included as a significant element (Source 3). Burliuk’s later works often focused on the landscape of his adopted country, the United States, or his native Ukraine, suggesting a personal, perhaps topographical, connection to the scene (Source 6).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the landscape composition onto the canvas using charcoal. Focus on the placement of trees, sky, and any foreground elements.
Tip — Make corrections now, as charcoal is easily adjustable. Do not proceed to paint with obvious drawing errors (Source 5).
Charcoal sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a thin, lean wash of raw umber and white to establish the basic light and shadow values of the landscape.
Tip — Use turpentine to thin the paint. This layer should be lean (low oil content) to adhere properly to the ground (Source 1, Source 5).
Grisaille/Underpainting
first pass
step 03
Begin applying local colors for the sky and distant landscape elements. Use a moderate amount of oil.
Tip — Ensure this layer has slightly more oil than the underpainting to follow the 'fat over lean' rule (Source 1).
Direct painting
refining
step 04
Build up the mid-ground and foreground foliage. Use palette knives or brushes to create texture in the trees and grass.
Tip — Oil paint remains wet longer than other media, allowing you to adjust color and texture. You can scrape off paint with a knife if needed (Source 1).
Impasto/Texture application
finishing
step 05
Apply glazes of red and yellow tones to warm up the summer light and add depth to the foliage. Use scumbling for semi-opaque highlights.
Tip — Glazing involves a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque. These techniques help integrate the colors and create luminosity (Source 2).
Glazing and Scumbling
varnishing
step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks) before applying a final varnish if desired.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation. Ensure each layer is dry to the touch before applying the next (Source 1).
Drying and Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over Lean
Each additional layer of paint must contain more oil than the layer below to prevent cracking and peeling. This is a fundamental rule of oil painting application (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to add color depth and luminosity. Glazing applies transparent color over dry paint, while scumbling applies semi-opaque paint to allow the underlayer to show through. This method was practiced by old masters and can be used to tint the landscape (Source 2).
Charcoal Underdrawing
Used to establish the composition and correct errors before paint is applied. Charcoal is preferred for its adjustability (Source 5).
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the paint to crack and peel (Source 1).
- →Making major compositional corrections after paint has been applied, which can ruin the lucidity of the painting. Corrections should be made in the charcoal stage (Source 5).
- →Ignoring the drying time of oil paint, which dries by oxidation and can take up to two weeks to be fully dry to the touch (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of 'Countryside at summer' (e.g., exact tree types, presence of figures, specific color scheme) are not described in the provided sources.
- ·Burliuk’s specific palette for this 1946 work is not documented; the palette is inferred from general landscape painting practices and his realist style.
- ·The exact support material (canvas vs. board) is not specified, though canvas is standard for oil landscapes.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques for adding color depth
- PAINTING FROM LIFE — applied to Underdrawing with charcoal and initial value studies
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Underpainting, layering rules (fat over lean), drying times, and tool usage
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Composition elements (sky, weather, natural scenery) and genre conventions
Wikipedia bio — David Burliuk↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist background and stylistic context (Futurism vs. later Realism)
- part 2 — applied to Artist’s later life focus on landscape and homeland themes
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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