plate no. 9956

Dune Landscape

Piet Mondrian, 1911

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapeduneslandscapeskyhorizonsandclouds

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color temperature and how to use visible brushstrokes to create form and texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex landscapes into geometric shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the basic shapes of the dunes.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, adding hints of pink for the clouds.
step 03
Establish the base color for the dunes using a mid-tone blue-violet.
step 04
Add darker blue and green tones to the lower sections of the dunes to create depth and shadow.
step 05
Use short, directional brushstrokes to define the planes of the dunes.
step 06
Blend the colors slightly to soften the transitions, but maintain visible brushwork.
step 07
Add highlights to the tops of the dunes using a lighter blue.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of atmospheric perspective.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · cerulean blue · viridian green

secondary · alizarin crimson · titanium white

Mix blues and greens to create the various tones for the dunes. Add small amounts of red to the blue to create the violet hues. White is used to lighten the blues for the sky and highlights.

techniques

·color mixing
·directional brushstrokes
·dry brush
·atmospheric perspective
·blocking in

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, which can flatten the image.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure.
→Ignoring the directional brushstrokes, which are key to creating form.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·cerulean blue oil paint
·viridian green oil paint
·alizarin crimson oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·#4 flat brush
·#8 flat brush

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the visibility of the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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