plate no. 8287
Flood
Ivan Marchuk, 1985
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering, creating texture with brushstrokes, and depicting complex organic forms. It also provides practice in observing and representing subtle tonal variations.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the trees and water line.
- step 02
Block in the background sky with a thin wash of light grey.
- step 03
Start layering the darker tones of the tree trunks and branches, using a small brush.
- step 04
Add lighter highlights to the branches to create depth and dimension.
- step 05
Begin building up the texture of the foliage with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the water with vertical strokes to suggest reflections.
- step 07
Add details to the foreground, such as twigs and debris.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · burnt sienna · payne's gray
Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Add small amounts of burnt sienna or raw umber to warm up the grays. Use payne's gray for cooler, darker tones.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·broken color
- ·optical mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
- →Making the branches too uniform and lacking in natural variation.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the light and dark areas.
- →Failing to capture the subtle reflections in the water.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 0, 2, 4)
- ·flat brush (size 6)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
- ·easel
Use good quality brushes for better control and detail. Consider using a textured canvas to enhance the painting's surface.
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