plate no. 0729
Fuji San at winter
Alfred Freddy Krupa, 2000
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, trees, and horizon line.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of blue for the sky, blending lighter tones for clouds.
- step 03
Block in the mountain with white, adding shadows with blue and grey.
- step 04
Paint the foreground with a mix of browns, greens, and blues, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add vertical strokes of dark blue to represent the trees.
- step 06
Layer lighter tones over the trees to create depth and texture.
- step 07
Refine the details of the mountain, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt umber · sap green
Mix blues and white for the sky and mountain shadows. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the foreground. Add small amounts of green to the foreground for foliage.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Making the mountain too symmetrical or uniform.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes in the sky and foreground.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·#6 round brush
- ·#4 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstroke visibility. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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