plate no. 0724

Farm at Duivendrecht

Piet Mondrian, 1908

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapehousetreeswaterreflectionlandscapesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating reflections and rendering complex tree structures using a limited color palette. It also encourages exploration of expressive line work and textural variation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the house, trees, and water line, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the overall composition.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color using a diluted wash of the primary color.
step 04
Begin adding darker values to define the shadows and details of the house and trees.
step 05
Create the reflection in the water, mirroring the shapes above but with softened edges and vertical strokes.
step 06
Use finer brushstrokes or a drawing tool to add details to the trees, such as branches and leaves.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches to the sky and surrounding areas to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · titanium white

Mix burnt sienna with varying amounts of raw umber to create different shades of brown. Add small amounts of yellow ochre or white to lighten the colors and create highlights.

techniques