plate no. 6548
Landscape with flowering peach
Grace Cossington Smith, 1932
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color blocking and simplifying complex forms into geometric shapes. It also provides practice in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the tree, the horizon line, and the major areas of the landscape.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, leaving some white space for clouds.
- step 03
Apply the base colors for the fields: greens, browns, and yellows, using broad strokes.
- step 04
Paint the tree trunk and branches with a light tan or beige.
- step 05
Add the pink blossoms using short, choppy strokes, varying the shades of pink.
- step 06
Define the background trees and foliage with darker greens and blues.
- step 07
Add details like the daffodils in the foreground with small touches of yellow.
- step 08
Refine the shapes and colors, paying attention to the overall harmony of the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · cerulean blue · cadmium yellow · rose madder
secondary · burnt umber · sap green · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of pink by combining rose madder with titanium white. Create greens by mixing cerulean blue and cadmium yellow. Use burnt umber to darken colors and create shadows.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·broken color
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·simplified forms
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the original.
- →Using colors that are too saturated and not blending them sufficiently.
- →Failing to establish a clear focal point.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes size 4 and 8
- ·flat brush size 6
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·apron
Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing. Consider using a textured canvas to enhance the brushwork effect.
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