plate no. 5720

Flood pool at Gažansko field - 29th May 2015

Alfred Freddy Krupa, 2015

watercolor, colored pencilsExpressionismsketch and studylandscapewaterfieldskytrees

what to study here

It shows how visible colored pencil marks over soft watercolor can build structure, rhythm and depth in a light-valued landscape sketch.

Look at how this sketch holds together with very little value range. The sky, field, water and embankment read as four broad horizontal bands, and the water line is firm but irregular rather than ruler-straight. Values stay in the mid-to-pale range. The darkest notes are muted blue-grays and dark greens, and nothing goes to black, so the warm yellow-tan ground carries the picture. Study the layering of media: soft, blended watercolor underneath, with colored pencil sitting visibly on top. Trees are not drawn as shapes. They are dense vertical dashes in blue and green, left unblended so the strokes show as texture. Those vertical marks also run through the water band as blue-green reflections, which sets up a rhythm against the horizontal bands. The warm orange and tan embankment in the lower quarter anchors the composition and contrasts with the cooler water. Notice how restrained the cool accents are against the dominant yellow.

key decision

The painter left the colored pencil marks unblended on top of the soft watercolor ground, using vertical dashes for trees and reflections against the horizontal bands of sky, field, water and embankment.

recreation guide

This artwork, 'Flood pool at Gažansko field - 29th May 2015' by Alfred Freddy Krupa, is a sketch and study executed in watercolor and colored pencils. As a pivotal figure in the Western New Ink Art movement (Source 3), Krupa’s practice often bridges traditional media with expressive, contemporary sensibilities. The work likely utilizes the transparency and fluidity inherent to watercolor, where the paper itself serves as the light source, a technique rooted in the tradition of reserving white paper for highlights (Source 1). The inclusion of colored pencils suggests a layering process, potentially adding opacity or fine linear detail over the fluid washes, consistent with the mixed-media approach often found in sketch studies.

estimated time

4-6 hours over 2 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

4 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Cold-pressed watercolor paper	Provides texture and minimizes distortion when wet; supports both washes and pencil work.	300gsm cotton or cotton-blend cold-pressed paper
Professional grade watercolors	High pigment concentration allows for intense color even when diluted with large amounts of water.	Pan or tube watercolors with gum arabic binder
Colored pencils	Used for adding opaque details, lines, or refining forms over the dried watercolor layers.	Water-soluble or wax-based colored pencils
Water brushes or round sable brushes	For applying washes and controlling water flow.	Synthetic round brushes
Pencil (HB or 2B)	For initial underdrawing and contour lines.	Standard graphite pencil

preparation

surface prep

Use high-quality watercolor paper made from linen rags or cotton, bleached by air and sunshine rather than chlorine, to avoid damaging the colors (Source 1). The paper should be dry and free from dampness to prevent sizing fermentation (Source 1). Cold-pressed paper is recommended for its texture, which aids in the appearance of the washes (Source 2).

underdrawing

Begin with a contour drawing to establish the mass and volume of the subject, such as the field and flood pool, rather than focusing on minor details (Source 4). Use light graphite lines to outline the shapes, keeping in mind that contour lines can convey three-dimensional perspective and depth (Source 4). As a sketch and study, the underdrawing may remain visible or be integrated into the final work.

underpainting

Apply initial watercolor washes to establish the general tone and color fields. Watercolor is characterized by transparency, where the gum binder is absorbed by the paper, leaving pigment particles that allow the paper to shimmer through (Source 2). Reserve the white of the paper for the lightest areas, as is traditional in watercolor painting (Source 1).

color palette

Blues and Greens

Cerulean blue, phthalo green, yellow ochre

General use in landscape studies to depict water and vegetation; specific hues for this painting are not detailed in sources.

Earth Tones

Burnt sienna, raw umber

Depicting the field and soil; consistent with landscape sketching.

White

Reserved paper or Chinese white (if opacity is needed)

Highlights and reflections in the water; note that adding white can make watercolor opaque, similar to gouache (Source 2).

composition

The composition likely emphasizes the mass and volume of the landscape elements through contour and wash, rather than intricate detail (Source 4). As a sketch, it may feature loose, expressive lines and fluid color fields, consistent with Krupa’s expressive style and the New Ink Art movement’s focus on line and fluidity (Source 3). Specific compositional arrangements are not described in the sources.

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic contours of the flood pool and field using light pencil lines. Focus on the outline and mass of the subject rather than fine details.
Tip — Use continuous lines to suggest form and space; vary line weight to indicate depth and light source.
Contour drawing

first pass

step 02
Apply broad watercolor washes to establish the main color areas. Dilute the paint with water to achieve transparency, allowing the paper to show through for highlights.
Tip — Ensure the paper is properly sized and dry to prevent staining; reserve white paper for lights.
Watercolor wash

refining

step 03
Layer additional washes to deepen shadows and add color variation. Allow each layer to dry completely before applying the next to avoid muddiness.
Tip — Use high-quality pigments that retain intensity even when diluted.
Glazing

finishing

step 04
Use colored pencils to add fine details, lines, or opaque accents over the dried watercolor. This can enhance the expressive quality and define specific forms.
Tip — Press lightly to avoid damaging the paper surface; blend pencil strokes for smooth transitions.
Mixed media layering

critical techniques

Transparency and Wash

Watercolor’s transparency is key; the gum binder absorbs into the paper, leaving pigment on the surface. This allows for luminous effects and the use of the paper as a light source.

Contour Drawing

Used to establish the basic forms and volumes of the landscape. Lines can vary in weight to suggest depth and light.

Reserving Whites

Leaving areas of the paper unpainted to represent highlights, a traditional watercolor technique.

common pitfalls

→Using paper that has suffered from dampness, which can cause the sizing to ferment and lead to stains (Source 1).
→Overworking the paper, which can wear out the surface sizing and cause irregular absorption (Source 1).
→Applying wet layers before previous ones are dry, resulting in muddy colors and loss of transparency.
→Using low-quality pigments that lose intensity when diluted with water (Source 2).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific color choices and exact composition of 'Flood pool at Gažansko field' are not described in the sources.
·Krupa’s specific technique for combining watercolor and colored pencils in this particular work is not detailed.
·The exact scale and dimensions of the artwork are not provided.
·Details about the specific landscape features (e.g., type of vegetation, water movement) are not available.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER XIII. WATER COLOURS — applied to Paper preparation, transparency, reserving whites, and avoiding dampness.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Watercolor painting↗
- Watercolor painting — part 1 — applied to Transparency, pigment quality, and paper types.
Wikipedia bio — Alfred Freddy Krupa↗
- Alfred Freddy Krupa — part 1 — applied to Artist’s style and movement affiliation.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique and focus on mass/volume.

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A horizontal flood landscape dominated by pale yellow sky transitioning to field and a reflective water band in the center-lower portion. The light source is frontal and overhead, creating warm yellows across most of the composition. Vegetation is suggested through dense vertical dash marks—trees and shrubs rendered expressively as silhouettes rather than descriptive shapes. The eye moves horizontally along the water line with its blue-green reflections, while vertical marks create rhythmic emphasis throughout. A sloped embankment occupies the lower quarter, marked with orange and warm tones that anchor the composition.

value structure

This is a deliberately light composition with values clustering in the mid-to-pale range. The lightest lights are the pale yellow sky and upper field (nearly white-yellow). Mid-values dominate the field areas in warm tans and beiges. The water and tree marks introduce the darkest values—muted blue-grays and dark greens—but they remain relatively restrained, never dropping to true black. When you squint, you see broad horizontal bands: pale sky, warm field, cooler water reflection, warm embankment.

observed palette and mixes

#f1d38b
Cadmium Yellow Light + Titanium White (mostly white)
Sky and upper field areas, palest transitions
#e3c984
Cadmium Yellow Light + touch of Raw Sienna
Mid-field yellow areas, sky-to-field transition
#d4bc7b
Cadmium Yellow Medium + Raw Sienna
Mid-tone field areas, warm base throughout
#ccab61
Raw Sienna + Cadmium Yellow Medium + touch of Burnt Sienna
Warmer field passages, embankment slopes
#b2a773
Yellow Ochre + Ultramarine Blue (muted green-gray)
Vegetation marks, muted green tree accents
#9f8c55
Ultramarine Blue + Raw Sienna (cool gray-brown)
Water reflections, tree shadows, deepest marks

edges and brushwork

Edges are deliberately gestural and energetic—the water line is firm but irregular, never ruler-straight. Colored pencil marks dominate: vertical dashes in blue and green create tree texture with visible directional strokes; horizontal marks suggest field geometry. The watercolor underneath remains soft and blended, but pencil marks sit visibly on top, creating texture without attempting smoothness. No blending stumps or soft transitions; the expressive mark-making IS the technique.

a working sequence

01
Establish sky and field base
Wet the paper lightly and drop pale yellow (#f1d38b) into the upper third for sky, then warmer yellow (#e3c984) into the middle field area. Let these mingle and dry. This warm underlayer unifies the composition and is visible through later marks.
02
Define the horizontal water band
Paint a soft horizontal stroke of pale blue-green across the center-lower portion (water reflection). Use Ultramarine Blue + touch of yellow to keep it grayed and light. Don't make it too dark or saturated—it should reflect the pale sky, not contrast sharply.
03
Block in the embankment
With warmer tan-orange (#ccab61 and #d4bc7b), paint the lower foreground slope. Use curved, organic shapes to suggest the land contour—not flat. Leave some yellow showing through for luminosity.
04
Layer field depth with tan
Use mid-tone tan (#d4bc7b) to suggest field bands across the composition—horizontal strokes and patches that break up the flat base. These create spatial depth and prepare the ground for tree marks.
05
Establish tree silhouettes with blue pencil
Using blue colored pencil, draw dense vertical and diagonal dash marks across the upper and middle field areas to suggest tree lines and vegetation. Make these marks visible and energetic—long dashes in some areas, shorter marks elsewhere. Don't blend; let the pencil marks show as texture.
06
Add water reflections and vegetation contrast
In the water band and below trees, add vertical blue-gray pencil marks to create reflection texture. These should echo the tree marks above, suggesting their mirror in water. Use the darker gray-brown (#9f8c55) to deepen reflection marks.
07
Introduce green vegetation accents
With green colored pencil (or blue-yellow overlay), add selective marks in the mid-field and embankment areas. Keep these restrained—they accent, not dominate. The greens should read as muted, not bright.
08
Deepen water and add final warmth
Selectively deepen the water reflections with blue-gray marks, creating rhythmic vertical lines that align with tree positions above. Add warm orange-tan accents to the embankment slopes to strengthen the land-water separation. Use pencil throughout—no new washes.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Over-blending the watercolor washes. The composition's energy comes from visible pencil marks and soft washes coexisting. Resist the urge to smooth transitions—they should feel loose and atmospheric.
Making the water too dark or saturated. It's a reflection of pale sky, so it should remain light and cool, not dramatic. The contrast comes from the warmth around it, not from darkness.
Rendering trees as realistic shapes. They must stay gestural—linear marks and dashes, not detailed silhouettes. The expressiveness is in the mark-making itself.
Losing the horizontal structure. The painting's composition relies on clear field bands and the water line as organizing elements. Without these, it becomes chaotic rather than expressive.
Adding too much green. The palette is yellow-warm dominated with green as accent. Oversaturating greens flattens the color harmony.

measured difficulty