plate no. 3063

In the Aroona Valley

Hans Heysen, 1940

oilRealismlandscapemountainstreeslandscapehillsskyvalley

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating depth through atmospheric perspective and rendering textures using hatching and cross-hatching techniques.

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 of the mountains and hills, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the basic layout of the foreground elements like trees and the valley floor.
step 03
Begin adding darker values to the shadows on the mountains, using hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone.
step 04
Gradually lighten the values on the sunlit areas of the mountains to create a sense of depth and form.
step 05
Add details to the trees in the foreground, using short, broken lines to suggest foliage.
step 06
Develop the texture of the valley floor with horizontal lines and subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Soften the edges of distant mountains to create atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final details such as birds in the sky and subtle highlights to the landscape.