plate no. 7008

Northern River

Tom Thomson, 1915

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapetreesforestlakewaterlandscapefoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and using simplified shapes to represent complex natural forms. It's a good exercise in understanding atmospheric perspective and creating a sense of mood.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, water, and foreground.
step 03
Add the darker tones of the trees, focusing on their verticality and spacing.
step 04
Layer in the mid-tones and highlights to create depth and dimension in the foliage.
step 05
Refine the details of the trees and branches, using a smaller brush.
step 06
Add reflections in the water, using horizontal brushstrokes.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors to create a sense of atmosphere and mood.
step 08
Add final details, such as small branches and leaves.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

Mix burnt umber and yellow ochre for the dominant brown tones. Add white to lighten these colors and create highlights. Use small amounts of red and blue to create variations in the foliage and shadows.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·layering
·scumbling
·broken color
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the overall impressionistic effect.
→Making the trees too uniform, lacking natural variation.
→Not creating enough contrast between light and dark areas.
→Failing to capture the atmospheric perspective, making the background appear too sharp.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·burnt umber oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·cadmium red oil paint
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·round brushes (various sizes)
·linseed oil

optional

·palette knife
·painting medium
·easel

Use a medium-textured canvas to allow for better paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a quick-drying medium to speed up the drying time between layers.

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