plate no. 7379

Little mountain lake, view of the Bernese Alps

oil, canvasRomanticismlandscapemountainstreeslakerocksskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering techniques to create depth. It also provides practice in rendering realistic textures for rocks, trees, and water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the mountains, lake, and trees.
step 02
Establish the sky with a gradient from light blue to a warmer tone near the horizon.
step 03
Block in the distant mountains with light grays and whites, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Paint the larger shapes of the trees, using darker greens and browns for the shadows and lighter greens for the highlights.
step 05
Add details to the trees, using smaller brushstrokes to create the texture of the needles.
step 06
Paint the lake, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 07
Add the rocks and foreground details, focusing on the texture and form.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and realism.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Yellow ochre · Burnt umber · Titanium white

secondary · Cadmium yellow · Alizarin crimson · Sap green

Achieve the muted greens by mixing yellow ochre, Prussian blue, and a touch of burnt umber. Create the atmospheric perspective by adding white to the colors as they recede into the distance.

techniques

·Layering
·Blending
·Dry brushing
·Atmospheric perspective
·Color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to create a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in an unrealistic landscape.
→Not paying attention to the reflections in the water.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (Prussian blue, Yellow ochre, Burnt umber, Titanium white, Cadmium yellow, Alizarin crimson, Sap green)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brushes (#6, #8)
·Palette
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Palette knife