plate no. 4368
Mountain ranges
Koloman Moser, 1913
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain ranges and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of off-white, adding a touch of yellow near the horizon.
- step 03
Paint the furthest mountain range with a light pink, blending it softly.
- step 04
Apply the next mountain range with a muted blue, slightly darker than the pink range.
- step 05
Paint the closest mountain range with a darker green-blue, adding subtle variations in tone.
- step 06
Add details to the foreground, suggesting trees with small, dark strokes.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the mountains to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Let dry and add a thin glaze of color to unify the painting if needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · cerulean blue · sap green
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson
Mix muted blues by combining cerulean blue with a touch of green or brown. Create the pink mountain range by mixing white with a small amount of alizarin crimson and a touch of yellow.
techniques
- ·color layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplified shapes
- ·soft blending
common pitfalls
- →Using colors that are too saturated.
- →Creating hard edges between the mountain ranges.
- →Overworking the details in the foreground.
- →Not allowing enough drying time between layers.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas 12x16
- ·Titanium white oil paint
- ·Cerulean blue oil paint
- ·Sap green oil paint
- ·Cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·Alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a canvas with a smooth texture for easier blending. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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