plate no. 9242
New Dams in Meadow
Neil Welliver, 1984
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in depicting complex natural scenes with a focus on detail.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, water, and beaver dam.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and water.
- step 03
Add the base colors for the trees and foliage, using a mix of greens, yellows, and browns.
- step 04
Begin layering colors to create texture and depth in the foliage and ground cover.
- step 05
Paint the reflections in the water, paying attention to the distortion and color variations.
- step 06
Add details to the trees, including the bark and branches.
- step 07
Refine the beaver dam, adding individual sticks and shadows.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a cohesive and realistic scene.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue
secondary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light · viridian
Achieve the various greens by mixing sap green with yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Use burnt sienna and cadmium red light for the autumn foliage. Mix ultramarine blue with white for the sky and water, adjusting the value and saturation as needed.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
- →Not capturing the subtle color variations in the foliage.
- →Failing to accurately depict the reflections in the water.
- →Making the colors too saturated or unrealistic.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·#2 filbert brush
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Acrylics will dry faster, while oils allow for more blending time.
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