plate no. 4214
Landscape
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting helps students practice simplified shapes and color blocking to create a landscape. It also allows for experimentation with visible brushstrokes to add texture and interest.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, haystacks, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, leaving space for clouds.
- step 03
Paint the mountain using a slightly darker shade of blue, blending subtly.
- step 04
Add white to the sky area to create the clouds, using short, choppy strokes.
- step 05
Block in the fields with green and brown, varying the shades.
- step 06
Paint the haystacks with dark brown/black, adding highlights with lighter browns.
- step 07
Add details to the foreground, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
- step 08
Refine the edges and add final touches to the highlights and shadows.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · sap green
Mix ultramarine blue and white for the sky and mountain. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the ground. Mix white with a touch of blue to create the clouds.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·dry brush
- ·scumbling
- ·simplified shapes
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the shapes.
- →Making the colors too saturated and not achieving the muted tones.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·medium gloss
Use a limited palette to achieve color harmony. Consider using a toned canvas to unify the colors.
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