plate no. 3577

Full moon on the water

Jan Sluyters, 1912

oil, canvasFauvismlandscapelandscapemoontreeswaternightpath

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color relationships and how to simplify a complex scene into basic shapes and colors. It also provides practice in applying bold, expressive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, placement of the hill, trees, and path.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: green for the sky/background, red for the hill and foreground, blue for the water.
step 03
Add the tree trunks using a dark red or brown.
step 04
Define the path with lighter blues and whites, suggesting reflections.
step 05
Add details to the hill, including the suggestion of a building with lit windows.
step 06
Paint the moon with a bright yellow and orange halo.
step 07
Refine the shapes and colors, paying attention to the expressive brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final details and highlights.

color palette

primary · emerald green · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · burnt umber · orange

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows. Achieve the red-brown of the hill by mixing red with burnt umber. Create lighter blues and whites for the path by mixing blue and white.

techniques

·blocking in
·expressive brushstrokes
·color mixing
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the colors and losing the vibrancy.
→Making the composition too detailed and losing the simplified, expressive style.
→Not capturing the feeling of moonlight and the night atmosphere.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·Oil paints (emerald green, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, titanium white, cadmium yellow, burnt umber)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags