plate no. 8141
Crecy-la-Chapelle, la route de Voulangis
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also provides practice in creating texture with visible brushstrokes.
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 road, trees, and building placement.
- step 02
Establish the horizon line and the overall perspective of the scene.
- step 03
Block in the main color areas: sky, trees, grass, and buildings with thin washes.
- step 04
Develop the sky with soft, blended brushstrokes, capturing the cloudy atmosphere.
- step 05
Add details to the trees, using varied brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
- step 06
Refine the road and grassy areas, paying attention to value changes to suggest form.
- step 07
Add details to the buildings, keeping them simple and slightly blurred to maintain atmospheric perspective.
- step 08
Add the figure as a small dark shape.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · sap green
Mix muted greens by combining yellow ochre, cerulean blue, and a touch of raw umber. Achieve atmospheric perspective by lightening and desaturating colors as they recede into the distance.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking details and losing the overall impressionistic feel.
- →Creating overly saturated colors that detract from the muted palette.
- →Ignoring the importance of value changes in creating depth.
- →Making the buildings too sharp and detailed.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·easel
Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for expressive brushstrokes. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of raw umber before beginning.
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