plate no. 2016

Landscape with Three Trees

oilRealismlandscapetreeslandscapeskyfieldfoliagebuildings

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 atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes of the fields with broad strokes of green and yellow.
step 04
Paint the tree trunks with brown, paying attention to their angles and thickness.
step 05
Begin layering the foliage with darker greens and yellows, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights to the foliage with lighter yellows and greens to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Paint the distant buildings and trees with muted colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final details and refine the edges of the trees and foliage.

color palette

primary · sap green · yellow ochre · cerulean blue · burnt umber

secondary · titanium white · cadmium yellow light · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Mix burnt umber with blue to create darker greens and browns.

techniques

·broken color
·layering
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the foliage, resulting in a flat, uninteresting texture.
→Failing to capture the atmospheric perspective, making the distant objects appear too sharp and defined.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in an unrealistic and jarring effect.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough, creating a monotonous texture.