plate no. 0600

Horses Drinking

oilRomanticismanimal paintinghorseswatertreesskylandscapereflections

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes, creating atmospheric perspective, and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in depicting animal forms in a loose and expressive manner.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: horizon line, tree mass, and the positions of the horses.
step 02
Apply a light wash of blue for the sky, fading towards the horizon.
step 03
Add a diluted wash of brown and green for the distant landscape.
step 04
Paint the tree mass with layers of dark browns and greens, leaving some areas lighter to suggest foliage.
step 05
Block in the horses with basic colors, paying attention to their individual tones.
step 06
Create reflections in the water using slightly darker and blurred versions of the objects above.
step 07
Add details to the horses, such as manes, tails, and subtle shading.
step 08
Refine the overall composition with final touches and highlights.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · raw sienna

secondary · sap green · payne's gray · yellow ochre

Mix various shades of brown by combining burnt umber with ultramarine blue and yellow ochre. Use diluted washes of these colors to create atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·creating reflections
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Making the reflections too sharp or defined.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the distant landscape too vibrant.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing and diluting them.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brush
·water container
·palette
·masking tape
·kneaded eraser

optional

·palette knife
·watercolor pencils
·gouache

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for multiple washes. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying levels of detail.

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