plate no. 5752

July. Bathing

Konstantin Yuon, 1925

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscaperiverfigurestreesbuildingshorses

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as simplifying complex scenes into manageable shapes and forms. It will also improve their understanding of atmospheric perspective and color mixing for naturalistic effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the horizon line, river, buildings, and large trees.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the sky, fields, water, and trees using thin washes.
step 03
Start building up layers of color on the fields and trees, using broken brushstrokes to create texture and variation.
step 04
Define the shapes of the buildings and add details like roofs and windows.
step 05
Paint the figures in the river with simple shapes, focusing on capturing their movement and interaction with the water.
step 06
Add details to the foreground vegetation, using darker greens and browns to create depth.
step 07
Refine the details of the trees, adding highlights and shadows to create volume.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the entire painting, paying attention to the overall balance and harmony.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · sap green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · raw umber

Mix greens by blending yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Achieve variations in the greens by adding white, cadmium yellow, or burnt sienna. Create the water's depth by layering blues and browns, and use white for highlights.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·layering
·scumbling
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Creating flat, uniform areas of color without variation.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Getting bogged down in the details of the figures before establishing the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, sap green, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, titanium white)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags