plate no. 4420

Magic

Endre Bartos, 1981

oilExpressionismlandscapetreesforestfoliagelandscapewoodsautumn

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impasto techniques and color mixing to create vibrant, textured surfaces. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the trees and foliage, focusing on composition.
step 02
Apply a base layer of color to the entire canvas, establishing the overall tone.
step 03
Begin adding thicker paint with short, deliberate brushstrokes to define the tree trunks.
step 04
Layer different shades of green, red, and yellow to create the foliage, using impasto.
step 05
Add highlights and shadows to the trees and foliage to create depth.
step 06
Use a palette knife to apply thick paint to the foreground, creating texture.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed.
step 08
Allow the painting to dry completely.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow · cadmium red · sap green

secondary · burnt sienna · titanium white · black

Mix greens by combining yellow and blue, and create variations by adding white or burnt sienna. Achieve depth by layering colors and using contrasting hues.

techniques

·impasto
·broken color
·color layering
·palette knife application
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Applying paint too thinly, losing the impasto effect.
→Ignoring the underlying structure of the trees and foliage.
→Failing to create enough contrast between light and shadow.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, cadmium red, sap green, burnt sienna, titanium white, black)
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·rags