plate no. 7492

Mountains, Cass

Rita Angus, 1936

oilRegionalismlandscapemountainslandscapecabinskyhillsgrass

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and using line work to define shapes and add detail. It also provides practice in creating a sense of perspective in a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, hills, and cabin.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the placement of the main elements.
step 03
Apply a thin wash of diluted brown or ochre to the entire paper as a base tone.
step 04
Begin layering in the darker tones of the mountains and hills, using browns, blues, and purples.
step 05
Add the details of the cabin, paying attention to the perspective and the direction of light.
step 06
Use fine lines to define the shapes of the grass and other vegetation in the foreground.
step 07
Add highlights to the mountains and cabin to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to match the original painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · raw sienna · payne's gray · titanium white

Mix browns with blues to create shadows in the mountains. Use white to lighten the blues and create highlights on the snow-capped peaks. Dilute colors with water to create transparent washes.

techniques

·layering
·dry brushing
·wash
·linear perspective
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of simplicity.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not matching the muted tones of the original.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of perspective.
→Not diluting the colors enough to create transparent washes.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints
·round brushes (various sizes)
·pencil
·eraser
·palette
·water container
·masking tape

optional

·palette knife
·ruler
·kneaded eraser
·watercolor pencils

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and ensure that the colors blend smoothly. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve a variety of effects.

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