plate no. 3618

Landscapes

Li Huasheng, 1984

oilInk and wash paintinglandscapemountainshousestreeswaterboatfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop brush control and learn to create depth using layering and value variations. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and lines.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, houses, and rocks.
step 02
Apply a diluted wash of light brown or gray to the mountain range in the background.
step 03
Add darker washes to the rocks and the base of the mountains to create depth.
step 04
Paint the roofs of the houses with a mix of brown, gray, and blue, varying the tones for each roof.
step 05
Use fine lines to define the details of the houses, trees, and boat.
step 06
Add small touches of red and orange to the trees to represent foliage.
step 07
Paint the water with a light blue-green wash, adding darker tones to suggest reflections.
step 08
Add the figures in the boat with simple, quick strokes.

color palette

primary · black · brown · gray

secondary · red · orange · blue-green

Achieve the various shades of brown and gray by diluting black ink or paint with water. Mix small amounts of red and orange to create the foliage colors.

techniques