plate no. 6549

Landscape at Pentecost

Grace Cossington Smith, 1929

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapehillsroadskyfieldstrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to simplify complex landscapes into geometric forms and practice layering colors to create depth and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the road, hills, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with light gray and yellow tones, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for the foreground fields using ochre, brown, and hints of green.
step 04
Paint the hills in the mid-ground, varying the greens and blues to create depth.
step 05
Add details to the road, using lighter tones to suggest sunlight and darker tones for shadows.
step 06
Paint the distant buildings and trees with simplified shapes and muted colors.
step 07
Refine the brushwork, adding texture to the fields and hills with visible strokes.
step 08
Add final details, such as the figure and any highlights.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · sap green · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow and blue, and create earth tones by blending brown, yellow, and white. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques