plate no. 6762
Delphiniums in a Wooded Landscape
recreation guide
This recreation guide addresses Joseph Farquharson’s 'Delphiniums in a Wooded Landscape,' a work situated within the Scottish landscape tradition. Farquharson, known as 'The Painting Laird,' was a prolific painter whose career was defined by his depiction of Scottish rural life, particularly snowy winter scenes and landscapes featuring animals or human figures engaged in labor (Source 2). While this specific title suggests a focus on flora (delphiniums) within a wooded setting, it aligns with his broader practice of painting 'natural scenery' such as forests and valleys, often arranged into coherent compositions that include sky and weather elements (Source 1). The artwork likely reflects his training under Peter Graham and his adherence to realism, bypassing the more abstract or imaginary views favored by some contemporaries in favor of topographical accuracy or realistic representation of his surroundings (Source 2).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (various pigments) | Primary medium for the landscape and floral details. | — |
| Linseed oil | Drying oil medium to manipulate paint consistency and drying time. | Refined linseed oil |
| Canvas or linen support | Surface for oil application; linen is historically consistent with the plant source of linseed oil. | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| Brushes (various sizes) | For applying broad landscape strokes and detailed floral elements. | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
| Palette knife | For mixing paints and potentially applying impasto textures in the landscape. | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a linen or canvas support with a traditional oil ground. Farquharson worked in oils, and while specific ground recipes are not detailed in the sources, the use of linen is historically consistent with the era and the availability of linseed oil (Source 5). Ensure the surface is smooth enough for the realistic depiction of foliage and flowers but textured enough to hold the impasto often found in landscape painting.
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Farquharson’s underdrawing technique. However, given his training at the Trustees' Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy (Source 2), a charcoal or thinned oil sketch to establish the composition of the wooded landscape and the placement of the delphiniums is recommended. Focus on the 'line scheme' and arrangement of forms before applying color, as composition involves organizing elements like line, shape, and space (Source 4).
underpainting
Consider a grisaille or tonal underpainting to establish the 'chiaro-scuro' (light-dark) relationships, particularly for the wooded background and the sky. This aligns with general landscape painting principles where weather and sky are important compositional elements (Source 1). This step helps in managing the 'gradation of light' mentioned in color theory sources (Source 7).
color palette
Greens and Blues
Viridian, Ultramarine, Yellow Ochre, White
Wooded landscape foliage and sky. Farquharson’s landscapes often feature dramatic lighting, so varied values of green and blue are essential.
Violets and Purples
Ultramarine, Alizarin Crimson, White
Delphiniums. These flowers require specific hues that may need correction to avoid shifting towards blue or green when lightened (Source 8).
Earth Tones
Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Black
Tree trunks, shadows, and ground. Darkening colors with black can shift hues, so use complementary colors to neutralize if necessary (Source 8).
Whites and Light Tints
Titanium White or Lead White (historically)
Highlights on flowers and sky. Note that lighter colors may yellow less if mixed with safflower or poppyseed oil, but dry slower (Source 5).
composition
The composition should arrange the natural scenery (woods, delphiniums) into a coherent whole, likely including the sky as a significant element (Source 1). Farquharson’s works often feature a wide view with elements arranged to create a balanced visual structure. The delphiniums, having 'great variety of line and proportion,' should be integrated into the space so that their lines relate to the surrounding landscape, avoiding disconnected groups (Source 6). The composition should emphasize the relationship between positive space (flowers, trees) and negative space (sky, gaps in foliage) (Source 4).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic layout of the wooded landscape and the position of the delphiniums. Establish the horizon line and the placement of the sky.
Tip — Ensure the main lines cut the space effectively to create a unified composition (Source 6).
Compositional sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a thin layer of paint to establish the tonal values of the landscape, focusing on the contrast between the dark woods and the lighter sky.
Tip — Pay attention to the 'gradation of light' to create depth (Source 7).
Grisaille or tonal blocking
first pass
step 03
Block in the major colors of the landscape, including the greens of the trees and the blues of the sky. Use linseed oil to adjust the consistency of the paint.
Tip — Be mindful of the drying time influenced by the oil used (Source 5).
Color blocking
refining
step 04
Add the delphiniums, focusing on their specific line and form. Mix colors carefully, using complementary colors to darken without shifting hue undesirably.
Tip — Correct hue shifts when lightening colors by adding adjacent colors (Source 8).
Color mixing and application
finishing
step 05
Refine details in the foliage and flowers, enhancing the contrast between light and shadow. Ensure the sky and weather elements contribute to the overall mood.
Tip — Check that all elements are related to one another to form a beautiful whole (Source 6).
Detailing and glazing
critical techniques
Color Mixing with Complementary Colors
Use complementary colors to darken hues without shifting them towards green or blue, which can happen when adding black (Source 8).
Compositional Line Integration
Arrange the lines of the delphiniums and the landscape so that they cut the space and relate to each other, creating a unified pattern rather than disconnected elements (Source 6).
Use of Drying Oils
Manipulate paint characteristics by mixing with linseed oil or other drying oils to achieve desired consistency and drying times (Source 5).
common pitfalls
- →Shifting hues when darkening colors with black; use complementary colors instead (Source 8).
- →Creating disconnected groups of flowers that do not relate to the overall composition; ensure lines and areas are connected (Source 6).
- →Ignoring the sky and weather elements, which are crucial for landscape composition (Source 1).
- →Using oils that yellow significantly for light colors; consider safflower or poppyseed oil for whites and light tints (Source 5).
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 underdrawing materials or methods used by Farquharson are not detailed in the sources.
- ·The exact palette of pigments used for 'Delphiniums in a Wooded Landscape' is not specified; general period practices are inferred.
- ·The specific lighting conditions (dawn/dusk vs. midday) for this particular work are not described, though Farquharson often painted dawn or dusk (Source 2).
- ·The presence of animals or human figures, common in Farquharson’s work, is not confirmed for this specific title.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Composition — FLOWER COMPOSITIONS TWO VALUES↗
- FLOWER COMPOSITIONS TWO VALUES — applied to Compositional advice for integrating floral elements into a larger space.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color theory, gradation of light, and juxtaposition of tones.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to Composition principles, inclusion of sky and weather, definition of landscape genre.
Wikipedia bio — Joseph Farquharson↗
- Joseph Farquharson — part 1 — applied to Artist’s style, subject matter (landscapes, animals, rural life), training, and medium (oils).
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 4 — applied to Materials, drying oils, pigment behavior, and historical context of oil painting.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing techniques, avoiding hue shifts, and use of complementary colors.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General principles of composition, elements of design (line, shape, color, etc.).
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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