plate no. 8893

Farm

Prudence Heward, 1933

oilExpressionismlandscapefarmbuildingscloudsfieldfiguretrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using color temperature to create depth. Students will also practice layering paint to achieve texture and dimension.

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 buildings, clouds, and figure, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, blending the colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 03
Establish the main color masses for the buildings using browns, grays, and reds, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Paint the field with varying shades of green and yellow, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture.
step 05
Add the details of the trees, using a smaller brush to create the branches and leaves.
step 06
Refine the shapes and colors of the clouds, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Paint the figure in the field, simplifying the form and focusing on the overall gesture.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · sky blue · yellow ochre · raw umber

secondary · titanium white · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix various shades of green by combining yellow ochre and sap green with small amounts of raw umber for darker tones. Create the cloud colors by mixing titanium white with small amounts of sky blue and raw umber.

techniques

·blocking in
·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, resulting in a flat and uninteresting painting.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, leading to a lack of harmony.
→Neglecting the importance of edges and allowing them to become too sharp or undefined.