plate no. 1103
Greenland Coast
Rockwell Kent, 1931
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for practicing color mixing to achieve subtle gradients and understanding how to simplify complex forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
2
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, mountains, and snow.
- step 03
Establish the gradient in the sky, blending from dark blue at the top to lighter blue/yellow near the horizon.
- step 04
Define the shapes of the mountains, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 05
Add details to the ice formations in the foreground.
- step 06
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting.
- step 07
Add subtle highlights and shadows to create depth.
- step 08
Finalize details and adjust as needed.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber
secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray
Mix ultramarine blue and white for the sky, gradually adding yellow ochre as you move towards the horizon. Use burnt umber and white for the mountains, adding small amounts of blue or yellow to adjust the color temperature. Mix white with a touch of blue for the snow, adding small amounts of umber to create shadows.
techniques
- ·color blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value studies
- ·blocking in
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the colors and losing the subtle gradients.
- →Not paying attention to the value changes in the mountains.
- →Making the snow too white and flat.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, which flattens the image.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·payne's gray oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-sized canvas for this project. Pre-tinting the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber can help create a warmer base.
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