plate no. 9048
Lermontov's place. Vicinity of Kislovodsk. The road to rock Lermontov.
Pyotr Konchalovsky, 1938
some experience helpful
This painting is great for practicing layering watercolor washes and creating texture with dry brush techniques. Students can learn to simplify complex forms like rocks and foliage into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the cliffs, the horizon line, and the figure.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and raw sienna to the rocks and hills.
- step 03
Add a diluted blue-gray wash to the sky, leaving some areas white for clouds.
- step 04
Layer greens and browns for the foliage, using a dry brush technique for texture.
- step 05
Paint the figure and horse with a mix of browns and reds, keeping the details minimal.
- step 06
Add shadows to the rocks and hills with a mix of burnt umber and blue.
- step 07
Define the edges of the rocks and foliage with a darker wash.
- step 08
Add final details like small rocks and highlights.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · ultramarine blue
secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red light · sap green
Mix yellow ochre and raw sienna for the warm tones of the rocks. Use ultramarine blue with burnt umber for shadows. Mix sap green with yellow ochre for varied greens.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering washes
- ·color mixing
- ·value control
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the watercolor.
- →Making the colors too saturated and unnatural.
- →Not planning the values correctly, resulting in a flat image.
- →Using too much water and losing control of the washes.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·Watercolor paints
- ·Watercolor paper 140lb
- ·Round brushes (sizes 4, 8, 12)
- ·Flat brush (1 inch)
- ·Water container
- ·Palette
- ·Pencil
- ·Eraser
optional
- ·Masking fluid
- ·Palette knife
- ·Spray bottle
Use good quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various textures.
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