plate no. 9073

Mt. Donia Sabuk

Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1909

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapetreesskymountainfieldvegetation

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing expressive brushstrokes and color mixing to create a sense of atmosphere. Recreating it will help students understand how to simplify a complex scene into basic shapes and colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes: mountain, tree, and foreground.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of light blue, yellow, and pink.
step 03
Paint the mountain using shades of blue and purple, varying the tones to suggest depth.
step 04
Add the tree trunk with thin, vertical strokes of white and gray.
step 05
Paint the foliage of the tree with greens, blues, and touches of red, using short, choppy strokes.
step 06
Block in the foreground with greens, yellows, and browns, using horizontal strokes.
step 07
Add details to the foreground, such as the fallen tree and small bushes.
step 08
Refine the colors and brushstrokes throughout the painting to match the original.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · sap green

secondary · cadmium red · burnt umber · violet

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Achieve the sky colors by mixing white with small amounts of blue, yellow, and red. Use burnt umber to darken colors and create shadows.

techniques

·Impasto
·Broken color
·Dry brush
·Color layering
·Expressive brushwork

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy look.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform and losing the expressive quality.
→Not simplifying the scene enough and getting bogged down in details.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, leading to a flat appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, sap green, cadmium red, burnt umber)
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Rags