plate no. 6743

New Mexico Recollections, No. 12

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapemountainscloudsskyabstracthills

some experience helpful

This painting helps students practice simplifying complex landscapes into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to convey mood and form. It also encourages experimentation with color mixing to achieve a limited but impactful palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains and clouds, focusing on their overall forms rather than details.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the general layout of the composition.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color: dark tones for the mountains, lighter tones for the sky and clouds, and red hues for the hills.
step 04
Begin to define the shapes of the clouds with varying shades of gray and white, using broad brushstrokes.
step 05
Add depth to the mountains by layering darker tones in the shadows and lighter tones on the highlights.
step 06
Introduce the red hues to the hills, blending them with darker tones to create a sense of form and depth.
step 07
Add the teal accents in the foreground.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and expressive landscape.

color palette

primary · black · white · red

secondary · gray · teal

Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Achieve the red hues by mixing red with black for darker tones and white for lighter tones. Create teal by mixing blue and green.

techniques