plate no. 4639

Looking up Strathspey, Highlands

oilImpressionismlandscapetreeslandscapeskyhillsgrassstream

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmospheric perspective, as well as practicing loose brushwork to capture the texture of foliage and land.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and placement of the trees.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, blending softly to create cloud formations.
step 03
Establish the distant hills with muted blues and purples to create atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Paint the foreground with a mix of browns, greens, and yellows, varying the tones to suggest texture.
step 05
Add the trees, using darker browns and blacks for the trunks and branches, and lighter yellows and greens for the foliage.
step 06
Use small, broken brushstrokes to create the texture of the grass and foliage.
step 07
Add the small stream in the foreground, using light blues and whites to suggest reflections.
step 08
Refine the details, adding highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · sap green · cadmium yellow

Mix blues and whites for the sky, browns and greens for the landscape, and yellows and browns for the foliage. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using too much detail in the background, which will flatten the perspective.
→Making the colors too saturated, which will detract from the overall harmony.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough, which will make the painting look monotonous.