plate no. 2991

Maine Headland, Winter

Rockwell Kent, 1906

oilAmerican Realismlandscapesnowtreeslandscapeskycloudsmountain

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict snow and shadows in a landscape, as well as how to create depth using atmospheric perspective and value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, mountain, tree line, and foreground.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, adding hints of violet near the clouds.
step 03
Establish the main shapes of the clouds with white and light grey, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 04
Paint the mountain with a base of white, then add shadows using light blues, violets, and browns.
step 05
Block in the dark shapes of the trees, varying the greens and browns.
step 06
Add snow highlights to the trees using white mixed with a touch of blue.
step 07
Paint the foreground snow, using light blues and violets for the shadows and warmer whites for the sunlit areas.
step 08
Add details to the trees and foreground, refining the shapes and adding texture.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium yellow · violet · sap green

Mix blues and whites for the sky and snow shadows. Use burnt umber and sap green for the trees, adding white for highlights. Mix violet with white to create the cloud shadows.

techniques