plate no. 7853

Dan Ward's Stack. Ireland

oilAmerican Realismlandscapelandscapefigureshaystackskycloudsfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create depth using color and value. It also provides practice in painting figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the haystack, figures, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of color for the sky, field, and haystack using thin washes.
step 03
Develop the sky by layering colors to create the sunset effect, paying attention to the horizontal bands of color.
step 04
Add details to the haystack, using darker values to create shadows and lighter values to suggest highlights.
step 05
Paint the figures, simplifying their forms and focusing on their silhouettes.
step 06
Develop the foreground with the green vegetation, adding variations in color and texture.
step 07
Add the building in the background, keeping it simple and muted to maintain atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix various shades of brown and green by combining burnt umber, yellow ochre, and ultramarine blue. Achieve the sunset colors by blending cadmium red, yellow ochre, and white.

techniques

·color layering
·atmospheric perspective
·silhouette painting
·scumbling
·glazing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, especially in the background.
→Creating too much contrast in the background, which will flatten the image.
→Making the figures too detailed, which will distract from the overall composition.
→Not paying attention to the horizontal bands of color in the sky.