plate no. 7791
Farm in Osny
Paul Gauguin, 1883
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating texture with brushstrokes, and understanding atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, trees, and water, focusing on composition.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, creating soft cloud shapes.
- step 03
Establish the main color masses for the buildings, using a base of white mixed with earth tones.
- step 04
Paint the red roofs, varying the color slightly to suggest light and shadow.
- step 05
Add the dark greens and browns for the trees and foliage, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the water, using blues, greens, and browns to reflect the surrounding landscape.
- step 07
Add details such as windows, doors, and foliage, using smaller brushes.
- step 08
Refine the colors and values, paying attention to the overall harmony of the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · raw umber
Mix white with small amounts of blue and sienna to create the sky and building colors. Use red and sienna for the roofs. Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and adjust with browns for natural tones.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Neglecting the initial sketch, leading to inaccurate proportions.
- →Focusing too much on detail too early, losing the overall impression.
- →Using too much paint, creating a thick, heavy texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·oil paints
- ·round brushes (#2, #6)
- ·flat brushes (#4, #8)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-tooth canvas for better texture. 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
related guides
in this vein
