plate no. 9521
Evening Arroyo
John French Sloan, 1919
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering colors to create depth. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of clouds and foliage with visible brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: horizon line, mountains, tree, and cloud formations.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a base layer of blue, leaving space for clouds.
- step 03
Establish the mountain range with a mix of browns and purples, varying the values.
- step 04
Paint the foreground field using a mix of earth tones, creating variations in color and texture.
- step 05
Add the dark tree on the right, paying attention to its silhouette.
- step 06
Develop the cloud formations, using grays, whites, and hints of pink to create depth and volume.
- step 07
Add the details of the buildings and foliage in the middle ground.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and adding highlights where needed.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · cadmium red · payne's gray · sap green
Mix blues and whites for the sky, adding a touch of gray for cloud shadows. Combine burnt umber, cadmium red, and ultramarine blue for the mountains. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the foreground.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the clouds, resulting in a flat, unrealistic appearance.
- →Making the foreground too uniform in color and texture.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the mountains.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a canvas with a medium texture to allow for visible brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
in this vein
