plate no. 3133

Interior from Uvdal Stave Church

Harriet Backer, 1909

oil, canvasNaturalismgenre paintinginteriorchurchfigurearchitecturecolumnsreligious

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for complex interiors, and capturing the atmosphere of a dimly lit space. It also provides practice in rendering architectural details and figures within a larger scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic structure of the interior, focusing on perspective and the placement of key elements like the column and figures.
step 02
Establish the main light source and map out areas of light and shadow.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the darkest tones.
step 04
Begin layering colors, paying attention to the subtle variations within each area.
step 05
Add details to the architectural elements, such as the carvings and patterns.
step 06
Refine the figures, focusing on their form and placement within the scene.
step 07
Adjust the overall color balance and contrast to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium red · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian green · titanium white

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using white to adjust values. The greens are created by mixing blues and yellows with a touch of umber to dull them down.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing
·atmospheric perspective
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, which can distort the entire scene.
→Overworking the details, which can make the painting look stiff and unnatural.
→Failing to capture the subtle color variations, which can flatten the image.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow, which can diminish the sense of depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, cadmium red, yellow ochre, viridian green, titanium white)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brushes (#4, #8)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·palette knife

optional

·retouch varnish
·painting medium

Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for broken color and scumbling techniques. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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