plate no. 6449
Louise Loved to Climb to the Summit on One of the Barren Hills Flanking the River, and Stand There While the Wind Blew
N.C. Wyeth, 1907
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in figure painting, landscape composition, and creating atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering fabrics and rock textures.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figure and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the large shapes of the sky, rocks, and figure with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the rocks and the figure's dress.
- step 04
Begin adding details to the figure, including facial features and folds in the fabric.
- step 05
Develop the texture of the rocks using dry brush techniques.
- step 06
Refine the sky and clouds, paying attention to subtle color variations.
- step 07
Add final details such as the book in the figure's hand and the distant landscape.
- step 08
Glaze with thin layers to unify the painting and adjust values.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red light · yellow ochre
Mix various shades of gray and blue for the sky. Use raw umber and burnt sienna for the rocks, adding white for highlights and blue for shadows. Mix white with a touch of blue and yellow ochre for the dress.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·glazing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·figure drawing
- ·landscape painting
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early in the process.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
- →Making the rocks too uniform in color and texture.
- →Getting the figure's proportions incorrect.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·cadmium red light oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Consider using a toned canvas to speed up the painting process.
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