plate no. 0184
Lake. Autumn.
Isaac Levitan, 1898
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing reflections in water and creating depth through layering and color variations. It also offers practice in depicting foliage with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, the placement of the boats, trees, and buildings.
- step 02
Establish the sky with light blue and white, blending softly.
- step 03
Block in the large shapes of the land masses with greens and browns.
- step 04
Paint the water using various shades of blue, green, and hints of purple, paying attention to the reflections.
- step 05
Add the trees, using a mix of greens, yellows, and browns, with visible brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Paint the boats with dark browns and grays, adding highlights to suggest form.
- step 07
Add details to the buildings and the reeds on the right side.
- step 08
Refine the reflections in the water, ensuring they mimic the shapes and colors above.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · burnt umber
secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create variations in the water by adding small amounts of alizarin crimson or burnt umber to the blue. Achieve the sky color by diluting ultramarine blue with white.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·impasto
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the reflections, making them too detailed and distracting.
- →Using too much detail in the background, flattening the sense of depth.
- →Mixing muddy colors by over-blending.
- →Failing to capture the subtle color variations in the water.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for better paint adhesion and visible brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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