plate no. 2217

Le massif du Canigou

Auguste Herbin, 1923

oilFauvismlandscapemountainslandscapetreeshousesfieldssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes and creating depth through color and value variations. It also provides practice in simplifying complex landscapes into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: mountains, fields, and clusters of trees and houses.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre or raw sienna across the entire paper as a base tone.
step 03
Paint the sky with a very diluted blue wash, allowing it to blend with the base tone.
step 04
Begin layering washes for the mountains, using diluted burnt sienna and raw umber, building up darker values in the shadows.
step 05
Paint the fields with varying shades of green and yellow, using a dry brush technique to create texture.
step 06
Add the trees and houses, using darker greens, browns, and oranges. Use small, broken brushstrokes to create foliage.
step 07
Define the river with blues and greens, adding darker accents to suggest depth.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · sap green

secondary · raw umber · cadmium orange · titanium white

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create muted browns by mixing burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. Use white sparingly to lighten colors.

techniques