plate no. 9545

Landscape with full moon

Jan Sluyters, 1910

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapemoonlandscapeskytreesfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice loose, expressive brushstrokes and color mixing to achieve atmospheric effects. It also encourages simplification of forms and capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the position of the moon.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, ground, and distant trees using thin washes.
step 03
Begin building up layers of color with thicker paint and visible brushstrokes, focusing on the moon and its surrounding glow.
step 04
Add details to the foreground, using short, broken strokes to represent vegetation.
step 05
Introduce highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 06
Refine the shapes and colors, paying attention to the overall harmony of the painting.
step 07
Add final touches and details to the moon and its light rays.
step 08
Let dry and add a varnish if desired.

color palette

primary · yellow · white · purple · tan

secondary · green · blue · pink

Achieve the sky colors by mixing white with small amounts of purple, pink, and tan. The ground colors are created by blending yellow, green, and blue with touches of purple and brown.

techniques