plate no. 6668

Illustration for Niobe

Artuš Scheiner, 1920

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)illustrationmountainwaterfallfiguresskyrockspath

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and depicting the movement of water. It also provides practice in rendering figures within a landscape setting.

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 mountain, rocks, and figures, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the background sky with a light wash of yellow and blue.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the mountain and rocks using a mix of greens, browns, and grays.
step 04
Add details to the rocks, creating texture with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Paint the waterfall using thin washes of white and light blue, suggesting movement.
step 06
Define the figures with simple shapes and colors, adding minimal detail.
step 07
Refine the path and surrounding vegetation, adding highlights and shadows.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · olive green · yellow ochre · sky blue

secondary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow

Achieve the muted greens by mixing yellow ochre with burnt umber and a touch of blue. Create the sky by blending blue and yellow, adding white for highlights.

techniques

·dry brushing
·layering
·scumbling
·glazing
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the simplicity of the original.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic paints (olive green, yellow ochre, sky blue, burnt umber, titanium white)
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·water container
·paper towels