plate no. 5440
Fuji from Kurasawa
Shotei Takahashi, 1929
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmospheric perspective, as well as simplifying complex shapes into basic forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: mountain, hills, water, and trees.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a gradient of orange and light blue.
- step 03
Paint the distant mountain with light blue and white, suggesting snow.
- step 04
Layer the hills with shades of gray and blue, creating depth.
- step 05
Fill in the water with a base of dark blue, adding lighter blues for reflections.
- step 06
Paint the trees in the foreground with dark greens and blacks, simplifying the foliage.
- step 07
Add details like the clouds, boats, and small buildings.
- step 08
Refine the colors and values to match the original painting.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · orange · white
secondary · gray · black · green
Mix light blues by adding white to cerulean blue. Create grays by mixing black and white. Achieve the orange sky by blending orange with touches of yellow and pink.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·color blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the trees.
- →Making the mountain too bright or saturated.
- →Not creating enough depth in the hills.
- →Using too much detail in the water.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·retarder medium
- ·easel
Use good quality acrylic paints for best results. A canvas size of 12x16 inches or larger is recommended.
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