plate no. 9923

Haymaking

Boris Kustodiev, 1917

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)genre paintingfigureslandscapefieldstreesskyriver

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a landscape and understanding atmospheric perspective. It also offers practice in color mixing to achieve realistic greens and blues.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the horizon line, river, and major groups of figures.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and pinks, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the basic green tones of the fields and trees, varying the shades to create depth.
step 04
Add the darker greens and browns to define the trees and shadows.
step 05
Paint the river using blues, greens, and whites, capturing the reflections.
step 06
Begin adding the figures, starting with the larger ones in the foreground and gradually working towards the background.
step 07
Add details to the figures' clothing and faces, using small brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the details of the landscape, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · sap green · cerulean blue · titanium white · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · alizarin crimson

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, adding white to lighten and burnt umber to darken. Achieve the sky colors by mixing blues and whites, with touches of pink and lavender.

techniques

·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the background, which can flatten the image.
→Using too much pure green, which can look unnatural.
→Making the figures too detailed, which can distract from the overall composition.
→Not paying attention to the values, which can make the painting look flat.