plate no. 1803
Mt. Rainier in Winter
Toshi Yoshida, 1972
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and understanding how to simplify complex forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of perspective through size and placement of elements.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, trees, and foreground.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of pale pink or peach to the sky area.
- step 03
Block in the dark areas of the trees with a dark blue or indigo.
- step 04
Begin layering white and light blue to create the snow-covered mountain, leaving some areas white for highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the mountain using darker blues and grays to define shadows and crevices.
- step 06
Develop the foreground by adding subtle variations of white and light blue to suggest snow drifts.
- step 07
Refine the details of the trees, adding individual branches and varying the darkness of the foliage.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall composition.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · black
secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red light
Mix white with small amounts of blue to create various shades of light blue for the snow. Use black sparingly to darken blues for shadows. Mix a tiny amount of red with white for the sky.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·color mixing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplified forms
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the mountain, losing the simplified aesthetic.
- →Using too much black, making the painting appear muddy.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the light and dark areas.
- →Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·black oil paint
- ·round brushes (small and medium)
- ·flat brushes (small and medium)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A canvas size of 12x16 or 16x20 inches is recommended.
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