plate no. 9836

Houses, St. Urbain

A.Y. Jackson, 1934

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapehousessnowlandscapeskymountainswinter

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint to create texture and understanding how to use a limited palette to create a cohesive scene. It will also teach how to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the houses, mountains, and snow drifts using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the sky with a base layer of blue, leaving space for clouds.
step 03
Apply the base colors for the houses (browns and oranges) and mountains (dark browns and purples).
step 04
Begin layering white and gray tones to create the snow, paying attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to suggest form.
step 05
Add shadows to the snow and houses using darker shades of brown, purple, and gray.
step 06
Refine the details of the houses, such as windows and doors, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Add highlights to the snow and houses using pure white and light yellows.
step 08
Review and adjust the values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium orange · ultramarine blue

Mix white with small amounts of blue, brown, and yellow to create the various shades of snow. Use orange and brown to create the house colors, and mix blue and brown to create the mountain colors.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the snow and losing the sense of texture.
→Making the colors too saturated and not achieving a harmonious palette.
→Not simplifying the forms and getting bogged down in unnecessary details.
→Failing to create a strong sense of light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (burnt umber, titanium white, cerulean blue, yellow ochre)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 8)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 10)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine

optional

·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
·easel
·rags

Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for good paint adhesion and texture. Consider pre-toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber for a warmer base.

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