plate no. 3181

Evening at Sturry, Kent

oilRealismlandscapelandscapecowsrivertreesskygrass

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering realistic animal forms within a landscape. It's also good practice for capturing subtle color variations in natural light.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the river, trees, and cows.
step 02
Establish the sky with soft, blended colors, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the trees and foliage, using darker greens and browns for the foreground and lighter tones for the background.
step 04
Paint the river, capturing the reflections of the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 05
Add the cows, paying attention to their anatomy and the way light falls on their bodies.
step 06
Refine the details of the foliage and grass, using small brushstrokes to create texture.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious overall effect.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · cadmium yellow · raw sienna · ivory black

Mix greens by combining Prussian blue and yellow ochre. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding white to colors for distant elements. Use burnt umber and white for the cows.

techniques