plate no. 4405

Landscape, near Auxerre

Gustave Loiseau, 1908

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapebuildingslandscapeskyfieldtreesfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to create atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting architectural forms with loose, expressive strokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes of the buildings, horizon line, and the path.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the base colors of the buildings, mixing creams, yellows, and grays.
step 04
Add the darker tones to define the shadows and architectural details.
step 05
Paint the field with layers of yellow, green, and brown, using varied brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Add the fence and the figure, paying attention to their relative scale.
step 07
Refine the details of the roofs and windows with small, precise strokes.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · sky blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · sap green · raw umber

Mix various shades of cream and gray by combining white with small amounts of yellow ochre, raw umber, and burnt sienna. Achieve the greens by mixing yellow ochre and sap green, adjusting the ratio for different shades.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Creating harsh lines instead of soft transitions.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (sky blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt sienna, sap green, raw umber)
·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·flat brush (#8)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits