plate no. 5055
Icebound
John Henry Twachtman, 1895
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand color temperature in snow and how to create depth using atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of snow with visible brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the stream and trees.
- step 02
Establish the overall color scheme with a thin wash of diluted paint.
- step 03
Block in the large areas of snow, paying attention to the subtle color variations.
- step 04
Add the darker values in the water and shadows to create depth.
- step 05
Develop the texture of the snow using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Paint the trees and branches, using a variety of colors to suggest foliage.
- step 07
Refine the details and highlights, focusing on the focal point of the painting.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna
secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · raw umber
Mix white with small amounts of blue and yellow ochre to create cool snow shadows. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the warm tones in the trees and snow highlights. Mix blue and green for the water.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color temperature
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Using too much detail, losing the impressionistic feel.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the snow.
- →Creating too much contrast, making the scene look harsh.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 8)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. A limited palette will help maintain color harmony.
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