plate no. 3095

Mt. Holly Cross

Toshi Yoshida, 1966

oilSōsaku hangalandscapemountainstreesgrassflowersskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and understanding how to simplify complex landscapes into basic shapes. It also provides practice in creating texture with repetitive brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, trees, and foreground hill.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue wash, adding subtle variations for clouds.
step 03
Paint the distant mountains with a muted blue, adding darker values for shadows and lighter values for snow.
step 04
Add the darker blue for the mid-ground mountains.
step 05
Paint the trees with a dark green/blue, focusing on their vertical shapes.
step 06
Block in the foreground hill with a base layer of green.
step 07
Add details to the grass with short, repetitive strokes of varying greens and yellows.
step 08
Paint the flowers with small dabs of color, varying the hues and values for a natural look.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · sap green · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · titanium white

Mix various shades of green by combining sap green with yellow ochre and a touch of blue. Create muted blues for the mountains by mixing cerulean blue with a touch of burnt sienna.

techniques

·layering
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the foreground, losing the overall impression.
→Making the colors too saturated, resulting in an unnatural look.
→Not establishing a clear value structure, leading to a flat painting.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the distant mountains appear too sharp.