plate no. 7796
Okhtyrka. Red Church.
Wassily Kandinsky, 1908
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to convey texture and light. It also provides practice in capturing reflections in water.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the church, trees, and landscape, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: sky, grass, water, and the red of the church.
- step 03
Add darker values to define shadows and create depth in the trees and grass.
- step 04
Begin adding details to the church, focusing on the white highlights and red structure.
- step 05
Paint the reflection of the church in the water, using similar colors but with more blending and distortion.
- step 06
Add highlights to the water to create a sense of movement and light.
- step 07
Refine the details of the trees, using short, expressive brushstrokes to suggest foliage.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to create a cohesive and dynamic composition.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red · titanium white
secondary · viridian green · burnt umber
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Achieve variations in red by adding white or burnt umber.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the spontaneity of the brushstrokes.
- →Failing to capture the correct proportions of the church and its reflection.
- →Using colors that are too saturated and not blending them sufficiently.
- →Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 6, 10)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the visibility of the brushstrokes.
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