plate no. 2141

Herbst am Untersee

Adolf Dietrich, 1952

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)landscapehillslaketreeslandscapefieldssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding how to simplify complex landscapes into basic shapes and forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the hills, lake, and sky, paying attention to the overall composition.
step 02
Block in the sky and lake with thin washes of color, establishing the basic values.
step 03
Apply a base layer of green to the hills, varying the shades to suggest light and shadow.
step 04
Add darker tones to the shaded areas of the hills and trees using browns and greens.
step 05
Create texture on the hills and fields using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the trees, focusing on their simple shapes and adding details with a fine brush.
step 07
Add details to the fields and foreground, using vertical strokes to suggest crops.
step 08
Refine the colors and values, adding highlights and shadows as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cerulean blue · burnt umber

secondary · sap green · titanium white · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and cerulean blue with varying amounts of white. Use burnt umber to darken greens and create shadows. Add white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·dry brushing
·layering
·scumbling
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the composition.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of the landscape.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform and not creating enough texture.