plate no. 3875

Hillock

Fred Williams, 1966

oilExpressionismlandscapehilltreesskylandscapevegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplified landscape painting, color mixing for natural tones, and expressive brushwork to suggest texture and form. It also encourages simplification of details to capture the essence of a scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shape of the hill and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-green wash.
step 03
Apply a base layer of ochre and green for the hill.
step 04
Add darker greens and browns to create shadows and depth on the hill.
step 05
Paint the tree trunks with thin vertical strokes of dark brown and black.
step 06
Add foliage using short, broken strokes of green and white.
step 07
Introduce small touches of blue to represent details on the hill.
step 08
Soften edges and blend colors where needed to create a harmonious effect.

color palette

primary · ochre · light blue · green · white

secondary · dark brown · black · yellow

Mix ochre and green for the base of the hill, adding white for highlights and brown for shadows. Use blue and white to create the sky, and mix small amounts of blue with green for the foliage.

techniques