plate no. 3804
Herding Sheep
Tom Scott, 1906
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering watercolor washes to create depth and form. It also provides practice in painting realistic cloud formations and rendering figures within a landscape.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: horizon line, hills, and cloud formations.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted blue and gray for the sky, leaving areas of white for the clouds.
- step 03
Paint the distant hills with a diluted mix of brown and blue, using a lighter value for areas further away.
- step 04
Add a darker wash to the foreground hills, defining the shapes and textures.
- step 05
Paint the foreground field with a mix of browns and greens, varying the values to create depth.
- step 06
Add details to the clouds, using darker grays to define the shadows and shapes.
- step 07
Carefully paint the figure, horse, sheep, and dog, using small brushstrokes to capture the details.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the landscape, adjusting values as needed.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · raw umber · burnt sienna
secondary · payne's gray · yellow ochre
Mix blues and grays for the sky, varying the proportions to create different shades. Use raw umber and burnt sienna for the hills, adding blue to create cooler, distant tones. Mix yellow ochre with browns and greens for the foreground.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering washes
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the washes, leading to muddy colors.
- →Making the clouds too uniform and lacking depth.
- →Failing to create a sense of atmospheric perspective.
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paints
- ·watercolor brushes (round and flat)
- ·watercolor paper (140lb cold press)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·masking tape
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
optional
- ·masking fluid
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·ruler
Use high-quality watercolor paints for best results. Experiment with different brush sizes and shapes to achieve various effects.
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