plate no. 8925

In the Forest

oilRomanticismanimal paintingforesttreesanimalsfoliagelightlandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating depth through layering and color variation. It will also provide practice in rendering realistic textures of trees and foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and animals.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the darkest shadows and working towards the lighter areas.
step 04
Begin layering in more detail, focusing on the textures of the trees and foliage.
step 05
Pay close attention to the atmospheric perspective, making the background elements lighter and less detailed.
step 06
Add the animals, paying attention to their anatomy and how they interact with the light.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create a sense of depth and realism.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · sap green · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow light

Achieve the various greens by mixing sap green with yellow ochre and titanium white. Use ultramarine blue to cool down the greens and create shadows. Mix burnt umber and raw sienna with white for the tree trunks and earth tones.

techniques

·layering
·glazing
·dry brushing
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Not paying enough attention to the value structure and creating a flat painting.
→Using too much detail in the background, which will flatten the perspective.
→Failing to create a sense of depth by not using atmospheric perspective.