Girls at the birch tree and flock of sheep in the background by Paula Modersohn-Becker

plate no. 6665

Girls at the birch tree and flock of sheep in the background

Paula Modersohn-Becker, 1903

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfiguretreeslandscapepastoralbirchsheep

experienced study

Students would develop skills in expressionistic brushwork and color mixing for flesh tones, while learning to balance foreground figures with background landscape elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

3

brushwork visibility

4

value contrast

3

compositional simplicity

3

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition with figure placement against the birch tree
step 02
Block in major color areas - red dress, flesh tones, white birch bark
step 03
Establish the background landscape with loose brushwork
step 04
Develop the figure's form and facial features with expressive strokes
step 05
Paint the distinctive white birch bark with bold directional marks
step 06
Add the sheep in the background with simple color masses
step 07
Refine the red dress with varied tones and shadows
step 08
Final touches on facial expression and overall color harmony

color palette

primary · cadmium red · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · sap green · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

Mix flesh tones with white, ochre, and touches of red; create varied greens for landscape with blue and yellow mixtures

techniques

·expressive brushwork
·color blocking
·gestural mark-making
·figure painting
·landscape integration

common pitfalls

→overworking the brushstrokes
→making flesh tones too pink
→losing the spontaneous quality
→getting caught up in details too early

materials

surface · stretched canvas or canvas board

required

·#6 flat brush
·#10 flat brush
·#4 round brush
·cadmium red oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·raw umber oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·canvas 16x20

optional

·palette knife
·burnt sienna
·painting medium
·#2 liner brush

Oil paint allows for the expressive, workable brushstrokes characteristic of this style

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