plate no. 5720
Landscape
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as using subtle value shifts to suggest form. It's also a good exercise in capturing the overall mood of a scene rather than focusing on precise details.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of blue and white, blending the colors softly.
- step 03
Establish the dark masses of the trees and foliage using a mix of browns and greens.
- step 04
Begin layering lighter tones on the trees to suggest form and light, paying attention to the direction of light.
- step 05
Add details to the foliage using small, broken brushstrokes.
- step 06
Create the ground plane with a mix of browns and greens, adding subtle variations in color and value.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the trees and foliage to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final highlights to the trees and foliage to create a focal point.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre
secondary · sap green · raw sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using white to soften the intensity. Use thin glazes to build up color and depth.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Creating too much contrast, which can flatten the image.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle value shifts that create depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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