plate no. 5870
Ice Skating
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering figures in a landscape setting. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and distance through subtle color variations.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
2
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the buildings, the horizon line, and the main groups of figures.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of muted colors, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
- step 03
Establish the base colors for the buildings, using a mix of reds, browns, and grays.
- step 04
Begin adding details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and roof tiles.
- step 05
Block in the ice surface with a light gray-blue tone, suggesting reflections and shadows.
- step 06
Start adding figures to the scene, focusing on their basic shapes and gestures.
- step 07
Refine the details of the figures, adding clothing, faces, and movement.
- step 08
Add final details such as trees, boats, and birds, paying attention to their scale and placement.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · Prussian blue · yellow ochre
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use thin washes to create atmospheric perspective.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·rendering figures
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.
- →Making the figures too uniform and static.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·Prussian blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·round brushes size 2, 4, 6
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·turpentine
Use a canvas with a smooth texture to facilitate blending and glazing. Consider using a toned ground to unify the colors.
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