plate no. 4245
Landscape in Dark Colours (Trees)
Janos Mattis-Teutsch, 1918
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing and layering, as well as understanding how to create depth with color and simple forms. It's a good exercise in simplifying a landscape into basic shapes and colors.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the hills, trees, and sky.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: red for the hills, dark green for the distant trees, and dark blue for the sky.
- step 03
Add the layers of color to the foreground hills, using pink, blue, and green.
- step 04
Define the tree trunks and branches with darker colors.
- step 05
Add highlights and shadows to the hills to create depth.
- step 06
Refine the details of the foliage and branches.
- step 07
Add final touches to the sky and foreground.
- step 08
Let dry and add a varnish if desired.
color palette
primary · red · green · blue · pink
secondary · purple · dark green · dark blue
Mix various shades of green by combining blue and yellow. Create pink by mixing red and white. Achieve purple by blending red and blue.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·simplified forms
- ·expressive color
common pitfalls
- →over-blending colors
- →losing the simplified shapes
- →not creating enough contrast
- →making the colors too muddy
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·canvas or painting panel
- ·assorted brushes (flat and round)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium (if using oils)
- ·container of water (if using acrylics)
optional
- ·easel
- ·apron
- ·rags
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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