plate no. 1701

In the garden

Jacoba van Heemskerck, 1909

oilPointillismlandscapetreesbuildingslandscapegardenfoliagesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color mixing for pointillism and how to build up an image using small dots of color. It also provides practice in creating depth and texture with this technique.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, trees, and horizon line lightly on the canvas.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by applying a thin wash of diluted paint in the general areas of the sky, foliage, and buildings.
step 03
Begin applying small dots of color, starting with the darker values in the shadows of the trees and buildings.
step 04
Gradually build up the layers of color, adding lighter values and highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 05
Pay attention to the color relationships between the dots, using complementary colors to create visual interest.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings and trees, adding smaller dots of color to define the edges and textures.
step 07
Continue layering and refining the colors until the desired effect is achieved.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · sap green · yellow ochre · cerulean blue

secondary · burnt sienna · titanium white · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and use white to lighten values. Achieve the orange-brown hues of the roofs by mixing burnt sienna with yellow ochre and a touch of red.

techniques

·pointillism
·color mixing
·layering
·optical mixing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Applying dots too uniformly, resulting in a flat and lifeless image.
→Overmixing colors before applying them to the canvas, losing the vibrancy of the pointillist effect.
→Ignoring the color relationships between the dots, creating a chaotic and disjointed image.
→Using dots that are too large, which can make the painting look clumsy and unfinished.