plate no. 5270

Lumière Sur La Plaine

Alexis Gritchenko, 1962

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapetreesbuildingsskymountainsfields

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impasto application and expressive color mixing to capture the essence of a landscape. It also encourages simplification of forms and focusing on texture.

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 placement of the tree, buildings, and distant mountains.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, using broad brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the horizon line and the general areas of the fields and water.
step 04
Apply thick layers of paint for the tree, using various shades of blue, green, and white.
step 05
Define the shapes of the buildings with browns, oranges, and reds, using visible brushstrokes.
step 06
Add details to the foreground with earth tones and greens, creating texture with impasto.
step 07
Create the clouds with white and touches of pink/brown, blending slightly with the sky.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired expressive effect.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt sienna

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · raw umber

Mix blues and white for the sky and tree highlights. Use burnt sienna and white for the buildings, adding touches of yellow ochre for warmth. Mix greens from blue and yellow, and use raw umber for shadows and earth tones.

techniques