plate no. 9870

From Ithaca

oilImpressionismlandscapebuildingstreeslandscapeskyarchitecturevillage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, and in simplifying complex scenes into manageable shapes and values. It's a good exercise in capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details.

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: mountains, trees, buildings.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue and violet.
step 03
Establish the darkest values in the trees and shadows on the buildings.
step 04
Layer in the mid-tones of the trees, using varying shades of green and yellow.
step 05
Add highlights to the foliage and buildings with lighter shades.
step 06
Define the architectural details of the buildings with small, deliberate brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the mountain range in the background, adding subtle color variations.
step 08
Add final touches and details to the foreground vegetation.

color palette

primary · sap green · yellow ochre · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt sienna · violet · cadmium yellow

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and use white to lighten values. Create muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Violet for the mountains can be achieved by mixing red and blue with a touch of white.

techniques