plate no. 4437

Les Petits, Montagnes Mauresques

Henri-Edmond Cross, 1909

oil, canvasPointillismlandscapelandscapemountainsskytreesfield

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color mixing and application in the pointillist style, focusing on building form and texture with individual brushstrokes. It also reinforces understanding of atmospheric perspective and color temperature.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains and the horizon line.
step 02
Divide the canvas into sections representing the sky, mountains, and foreground.
step 03
Begin with the sky, applying small dabs of light blue, white, and yellow.
step 04
Move to the mountains, using darker blues, greens, and browns for shadows, and yellows and oranges for highlights.
step 05
Create the foreground with a mix of greens, yellows, reds, and browns, varying the intensity of the colors.
step 06
Add details like trees and bushes using small, distinct brushstrokes.
step 07
Continuously adjust the colors and values to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine the overall composition, ensuring a harmonious balance of colors and textures.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · burnt umber

Mix blues and whites for the sky, yellows and blues for greens, and reds and browns for earth tones. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·pointillism
·color mixing
·broken color
·layering
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, which will defeat the pointillist effect.
→Using too much paint on the brush, leading to thick, muddy strokes.
→Ignoring the importance of color temperature in creating depth.
→Failing to vary the size and density of the dots, resulting in a flat, uniform appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red, viridian green, burnt umber)
·small round brushes (#2, #4)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags