plate no. 0820
Mountains near Krasnoyarsk
Vasily Surikov, 1909
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, river, and foreground.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-gray wash.
- step 03
Establish the dark values of the mountains using a mix of blues, browns, and purples.
- step 04
Paint the river with a lighter, cooler gray, reflecting the sky.
- step 05
Add the mid-ground trees and bushes, focusing on their silhouette shapes.
- step 06
Develop the foreground with varied browns and grays, suggesting texture and form.
- step 07
Add subtle highlights to the trees and foreground to create depth.
- step 08
Refine details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna
Mix blues and browns with white for the mountains and sky. Use yellow ochre and raw sienna to warm up the foreground browns.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the mountains.
- →Making the river too bright or uniform.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the foreground.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth through value and color.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a limited palette to simplify color mixing. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base value.
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