plate no. 2136
Mongolian Landscape
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors with pastels and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also encourages expressive mark-making and simplifying complex forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the tree, hills, and horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light pastel strokes, blending colors for a soft effect.
- step 03
Add the distant hills and building, using darker tones and less detail.
- step 04
Establish the basic colors of the fields: greens, oranges, and browns.
- step 05
Layer darker colors to create shadows and define the foreground.
- step 06
Add details to the tree, using quick, expressive strokes.
- step 07
Refine the overall composition by adjusting values and adding highlights.
- step 08
Blend and soften edges where needed to create a cohesive look.
color palette
primary · ochre · green · brown · blue
secondary · orange · purple · grey
Mix browns and blues to create shadows in the hills. Use ochre and white to lighten the sky. Blend greens and yellows for the fields.
techniques
- ·pastel layering
- ·blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·expressive mark-making
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →over-blending, losing definition
- →using too much pressure, muddying colors
- →ignoring value changes, flattening the image
- →overworking details, losing the expressive quality
materials
surface · pastel paper
required
- ·soft pastels
- ·pastel paper
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·fixative spray
- ·paper towels
- ·drawing board
- ·pencil
optional
- ·tortillon
- ·workable fixative
- ·pastel pencils
Choose a pastel paper with a slightly textured surface to grip the pastels. Use fixative sparingly to avoid darkening the colors.
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