plate no. 3397
Landscape with Mountains
Janos Mattis-Teutsch, 1916
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students practice color mixing and layering techniques to create depth and dimension with simplified forms. It also encourages experimentation with expressive brushstrokes to define shapes and textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains and hills, focusing on the overall composition.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of the background color (off-white) to the entire canvas.
- step 03
Start with the furthest mountain range, painting broad strokes of blue and purple.
- step 04
Gradually work your way forward, adding layers of green, yellow, and pink to the hills.
- step 05
Use short, curved brushstrokes to define the contours of the land.
- step 06
Mix colors directly on the canvas to create subtle variations and blends.
- step 07
Add final details and highlights to enhance the sense of depth and texture.
- step 08
Allow the painting to dry completely.
color palette
primary · blue · yellow · green · purple
secondary · pink · orange
Mix blue and yellow to create various shades of green. Combine blue and red to achieve purple. Use white to lighten colors and create pastel hues.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Creating overly defined edges, losing the soft, dreamlike quality.
- →Ignoring the underlying structure of the landscape.
- →Applying paint too thickly, obscuring the texture of the canvas.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Acrylic or watercolor paints
- ·Round brushes (various sizes)
- ·Flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·Canvas or watercolor paper
- ·Palette
- ·Water container
- ·Paper towels
- ·Pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·medium
Using a textured canvas can enhance the visual effect of the brushstrokes.
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