plate no. 9412
Obstruction, Box Hill
Jane Sutherland, 1887
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, and in using loose brushstrokes to suggest detail rather than precisely rendering it. It also provides practice in capturing atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, figure, and fence.
- step 02
Establish the background sky and distant foliage with thin washes of color.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the trees, using a mix of browns and greens.
- step 04
Add the figure, focusing on the overall shape and color rather than precise details.
- step 05
Develop the foreground grass with loose, textured brushstrokes, varying the colors to create depth.
- step 06
Refine the details of the trees, adding branches and highlights.
- step 07
Add the fence and cow in the background, keeping them soft and indistinct.
- step 08
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of harmony and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white · sap green
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre, sap green, and ultramarine blue. Achieve the pink of the dress by mixing alizarin crimson with titanium white. Browns are created with burnt umber and touches of yellow ochre.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Making the colors too saturated and bright.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to help create texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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