plate no. 4011

Odds and Ends

Emily Carr, 1939

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapetreesmountainsforestlandscapestumpssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and using expressive brushstrokes to convey texture and movement. It's also a good exercise in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

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 mountains, trees, and stumps.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes of blue, varying the tones slightly.
step 03
Establish the dark masses of the mountains and forest, using a mix of greens and browns.
step 04
Begin layering the greens in the foreground, creating a sense of depth and texture with varied brushstrokes.
step 05
Add the tree trunks and stumps, paying attention to their shapes and placement.
step 06
Introduce highlights and shadows to define the forms of the stumps and trees.
step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches to enhance the overall composition.
step 08
Consider adding a thin glaze of yellow to the foreground to enhance the light.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and vary the tones by adding white or umber. Use white to lighten the blues for the sky and create highlights on the trees and stumps.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the expressive brushstrokes.
→Creating flat, uniform colors instead of layering and mixing.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·ultramarine blue oil paint
·viridian green oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·medium gloss

Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) to allow for expressive brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.

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