plate no. 8151

Dents du Midi

Oskar Kokoschka, 1910

oil, canvasExpressionismlandscapemountainssnowtreesskyfigureshorse-drawn sleigh

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as capturing movement with expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, trees, and figures, focusing on the overall composition.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of yellow ochre or raw sienna to the entire canvas as an underpainting.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the mountains, using a mix of yellows, browns, and reds.
step 04
Add darker values to the trees and foreground, using greens, browns, and blacks.
step 05
Create the sky with a light wash of yellow and white, blending the colors softly.
step 06
Paint the figures and horse-drawn sleigh in the foreground, paying attention to their movement and form.
step 07
Add details to the trees and buildings, using a small brush.
step 08
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, adding highlights and shadows as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · cadmium red

Mix yellow ochre with white for the sky and highlights on the mountains. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for the darker areas of the trees and foreground. Add a touch of ultramarine blue to the shadows for depth.

techniques

·dry brush
·layering
·scumbling
·expressive brushstrokes
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the expressive quality.
→Using too much detail and cluttering the composition.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Not capturing the movement of the figures and horse-drawn sleigh.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, ultramarine blue, raw umber, cadmium red)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife