plate no. 8183
Landscape with grey sky
Thomas Pollock Anshutz, 1900
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors and creating atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a landscape with loose, 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 composition, focusing on the horizon line and placement of the trees and clouds.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of burnt sienna or raw umber to the entire canvas as an underpainting.
- step 03
Block in the sky with light gray and yellow tones, using horizontal brushstrokes.
- step 04
Add darker grays and whites to define the shapes of the clouds.
- step 05
Paint the trees with dark browns and greens, using short, vertical brushstrokes.
- step 06
Fill in the field with a mix of greens, yellows, and oranges, varying the brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the trees and field to create depth.
- step 08
Refine the details and blend the colors as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre · cadmium green
secondary · burnt sienna · payne's gray
Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and yellow ochre to create the light gray tones for the sky. Use burnt sienna and raw umber to create the darker tones for the trees. Mix cadmium green with yellow ochre and white for the field.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the loose, expressive feel.
- →Using too much detail and not enough suggestion.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.
- →Making the colors too saturated.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·cadmium green oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#6 round brush
- ·#4 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grit canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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