plate no. 5962
Golden Hills
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about color gradients and creating depth through subtle value changes. Students will also practice simplifying complex shapes into basic forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the hills and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light yellow.
- step 03
Apply the base color for the hills, a slightly darker yellow than the sky.
- step 04
Create shadows on the hills using a darker, muted yellow or a touch of brown.
- step 05
Paint the dark masses of trees and bushes, paying attention to their shapes.
- step 06
Add highlights to the trees and bushes using a slightly lighter shade of green or yellow.
- step 07
Paint the thin vertical lines of grass using a fine brush and a light yellow.
- step 08
Refine the edges of the hills and trees to create a crisp, clean look.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · sap green · burnt sienna
Mix yellow ochre with white for the highlights on the hills. Add raw umber to yellow ochre to create the shadows. Use sap green and raw umber for the trees, adding white for highlights.
techniques
- ·color blending
- ·value gradation
- ·shape simplification
- ·linear details
common pitfalls
- →Overcomplicating the shapes of the trees and bushes.
- →Making the shadows too dark or too saturated.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the hills and the sky.
- →Using too many colors, which can muddy the overall effect.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·easel
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
A smooth canvas surface will help achieve the smooth gradients in the painting. Consider using a medium to slow the drying time of acrylics for easier blending.
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