plate no. 0080

Meandering Landscape with River

Piet Mondrian, 1907

watercolor, paperImpressionismlandscapelandscaperivercloudsskyfieldboat

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in watercolor washes and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in simplifying a landscape into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, river, and cloud shapes.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted grey across the entire sky area.
step 03
Add darker grey washes to define the cloud shapes, building up layers for depth.
step 04
Mix a light green wash and apply it to the fields, varying the intensity for depth.
step 05
Paint the river with a light grey-blue wash, leaving some areas lighter to suggest reflections.
step 06
Add darker greens and browns to the foreground to create texture and detail.
step 07
Paint the boat with dark grey and add a few details to the fence and figure.
step 08
Refine the edges and add final details to the clouds and landscape.

color palette

primary · Payne's Gray · Yellow Ochre · Sap Green

secondary · Burnt Umber · Titanium White (for opacity if needed)

Mix Payne's Gray with water for various shades of grey. Combine Yellow Ochre and Sap Green for different greens. Use Burnt Umber for earth tones and to darken the greens.

techniques