plate no. 9673
Haystacks in the Snow
Franz Marc, 1911
some experience helpful
This painting provides practice in simplifying forms and using color to represent light and shadow. Students will learn to blend colors to create smooth transitions and capture the essence of a scene with minimal detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the haystacks and the snow drifts, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
- step 02
Block in the main colors of the haystacks (red, green, yellow) and the background (green, blue).
- step 03
Add layers of white to represent the snow, blending the edges to create soft transitions.
- step 04
Introduce darker blues and purples to create shadows in the snow and around the haystacks.
- step 05
Refine the shapes and colors of the haystacks, adding subtle variations in tone.
- step 06
Add the stems of the haystacks with dark brown or black.
- step 07
Review and adjust the overall composition, ensuring a balanced and harmonious feel.
color palette
primary · titanium white · cadmium red · cadmium yellow · viridian green
secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
Mix white with small amounts of blue and purple to create the cool tones of the snow. Use yellow and green to create the lighter shades of the green haystack. Mix red and yellow to create the orange haystack.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the blending, resulting in muddy colors.
- →Not simplifying the forms enough, leading to a cluttered composition.
- →Using too much detail, losing the expressive quality of the original.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the snow.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·titanium white
- ·cadmium red
- ·cadmium yellow
- ·viridian green
- ·ultramarine blue
- ·round brushes
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-sized canvas to allow for expressive brushstrokes. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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