plate no. 4471

Landscape at Vernon

Pierre Bonnard, 1915

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapetreesriverskyvegetationfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and using expressive brushstrokes to define form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the landscape: sky, river, distant land, and foreground vegetation.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, starting with the sky and distant land.
step 03
Add the river color, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 04
Begin building up the foreground vegetation with layers of green, yellow, and touches of red and purple.
step 05
Define the trees and bushes with thicker paint and more visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details to the foreground, such as individual leaves and flowers.
step 07
Refine the overall composition, adjusting colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · sap green · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow

Mix greens by combining yellow and blue, and create muted tones by adding small amounts of burnt sienna to the greens and yellows. The sky is achieved by mixing white with a touch of yellow ochre and blue.

techniques