plate no. 3613

Dark snow

Gustave de Smet, 1939

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapesnowbuildingstreesskyfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using a limited palette to create a cohesive mood. It also provides practice in creating texture with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: buildings, hay bale, horizon line, and tree.
step 02
Block in the sky with a mix of browns and grays, using broad strokes.
step 03
Establish the dark masses of the buildings and trees with dark brown and black.
step 04
Apply the snow using white mixed with small amounts of brown and gray to create variations in tone.
step 05
Add details to the hay bale and trees, focusing on texture and form.
step 06
Define the foreground with strokes of white, gray, and green to represent the snowy field.
step 07
Add the flock of birds in the sky with small dark strokes.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and black to create various shades of gray for the snow. Use burnt sienna to warm up the browns for the buildings and hay bale.

techniques