plate no. 3325
Figure with White Lake
Elmer Bischoff, 1964
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork, color mixing for skin tones and landscapes, and simplifying complex forms into expressive shapes. It's a good exercise in capturing a mood rather than precise detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: figure, cliffs, hills, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, water, land, and figure, using thin washes.
- step 03
Start building up the colors in the cliffs and hills, focusing on capturing the general color variations.
- step 04
Develop the figure's form with loose brushstrokes, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 05
Add details to the beach area, suggesting texture and form with varied brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the sky and water, adding subtle color variations and cloud formations.
- step 07
Review the overall composition and make any necessary adjustments to color or value.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · cadmium red light
Mix skin tones using burnt sienna, white, and a touch of cadmium red. Achieve the greens by mixing ultramarine blue and yellow ochre. Use white to lighten and cool colors.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
- ·scumbling
- ·color temperature variation
- ·simplification of form
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive feel.
- →Getting bogged down in precise anatomical accuracy of the figure.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Failing to capture the atmospheric perspective in the landscape.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (flats and rounds)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for expressive brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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