plate no. 8848
Hafnarfjörður Town
Asgrimur Jonsson, 1930
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also provides practice in capturing atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, mountains, and water, focusing on composition.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, starting with the sky and distant mountains.
- step 03
Layer in darker values to define the shapes of the buildings and create shadows.
- step 04
Add details to the foreground, such as the red foliage and figure.
- step 05
Use thicker paint and visible brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
- step 06
Refine the colors and values, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
- step 07
Add final highlights and details to the buildings and foreground.
- step 08
Step back and assess the overall balance and harmony of the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · viridian green · burnt umber
Mix greens by combining blue and yellow. Create muted tones by adding small amounts of complementary colors (red/green, blue/orange, yellow/purple).
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Ignoring atmospheric perspective and making distant objects too sharp.
- →Failing to simplify the scene and getting bogged down in details.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·oil paints
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing. Consider using a toned canvas to create a more unified color scheme.
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