plate no. 5562
Landscape of Attica
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as simplifying complex forms into basic shapes. It's also a good exercise in capturing the essence of a landscape with expressive brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes: mountain, tree, and field.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light yellow and white.
- step 03
Paint the mountain with ochre and burnt sienna, varying the tones to suggest form.
- step 04
Establish the base color of the field with a mix of green and yellow.
- step 05
Add darker greens and browns to the field to create depth and texture.
- step 06
Paint the tree with varying shades of green, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Add highlights to the tree and field with lighter greens and yellows.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna
secondary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium yellow light
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and sap green. Use burnt sienna and raw umber to create earth tones for the mountain and shadows in the field. Add white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Making the colors too uniform and lacking variation.
- →Not establishing a clear focal point.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective and making the background too sharp.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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