plate no. 6302

Mount Katahdin, Autumn No. 1

Marsden Hartley, 1939

oilExpressionismlandscapemountainswatertreescloudsautumn foliagelandscape

some experience helpful

Students would develop bold color application and expressive brushwork while learning to simplify complex landscapes into clear geometric forms and dramatic color relationships.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 4 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic mountain silhouette and horizon line
step 02
Block in the sky with cobalt blue using broad horizontal strokes
step 03
Paint the cloud shapes with pink-white mixtures, keeping edges soft
step 04
Fill in the black mountain mass with bold, confident strokes
step 05
Apply the red hill with cadmium red, varying intensity across the form
step 06
Add the autumn trees with warm oranges and browns using vertical marks
step 07
Paint the water with horizontal blue strokes, adding white highlights
step 08
Refine edges and add final details to trees and water reflections

color palette

primary · cobalt blue · cadmium red · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · burnt orange · raw umber · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre

Mix pink clouds with white and touch of red; create water reflections by adding white to the blue sky color

techniques

·bold brushwork
·color blocking
·expressive mark-making
·simplified forms
·high contrast painting

common pitfalls

→overworking the simple shapes
→making clouds too detailed
→losing the bold contrast between elements
→painting trees too realistically

materials

surface · primed canvas or canvas board

required

·cobalt blue oil paint
·cadmium red oil paint
·ivory black oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·burnt orange oil paint
·#8 flat brush
·#4 flat brush
·canvas 16x20

optional

·palette knife for mixing
·medium for flow
·#2 round detail brush
·paper towels

Use a limited palette to achieve the bold, expressive quality typical of Hartley's work

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