plate no. 0248
Lake McArthur, Yoho Park
J. E. H. MacDonald, 1924
some experience helpful
This painting offers a chance to practice blocking in shapes and using a limited palette to create a cohesive landscape. Students can develop skills in layering colors and creating texture with visible brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: mountains, lake, and foreground.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of yellow ochre and white.
- step 03
Establish the mountain masses with dark blues and purples, varying the tones.
- step 04
Add the snow patches using white mixed with a touch of blue and ochre.
- step 05
Paint the lake with a flat layer of turquoise, adding subtle reflections.
- step 06
Block in the foreground rocks and snow with browns, ochres, and whites.
- step 07
Add details and texture to the rocks and snow with thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt sienna · violet
Mix blues and whites for the sky and snow shadows. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the rocks and foreground. Create the turquoise lake by mixing blue and yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·layering
- ·impasto
- ·dry brushing
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Using too many colors and losing the overall harmony.
- →Making the lake too uniform and lacking depth.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·violet oil paint
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-grain canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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