plate no. 6454

Farmyard at La Percaillerie (Normandy)

Albert Marquet, 1901

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapebuildingstreeslandscapefarmyardpathsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to suggest detail rather than rendering it precisely. It's also good practice for color mixing to achieve naturalistic greens and earth tones.

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 buildings, trees, and path, focusing on overall composition.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue.
step 03
Establish the main color masses for the buildings using a mix of browns, yellows, and whites.
step 04
Paint the trees with varying shades of green, using darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 05
Define the path with a base of yellow ochre and add variations with browns and greens.
step 06
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and roof lines, using small, deliberate brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the foliage with broken brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall form and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white · sap green

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow and blue with varying amounts of white. Achieve earth tones by mixing browns, yellows, and a touch of blue or green to desaturate.

techniques

·broken color
·alla prima
·scumbling
·color temperature variation
·simplified forms

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations within the greens and browns.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, sap green, ultramarine blue)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags