plate no. 4409

Old Sarum

watercolor, paperRomanticismlandscapelandscapeskycloudshillfiguretrees

recreation guide

Old Sarum (1834) is a watercolor landscape by John Constable, produced near the end of his career. It depicts the ancient hillfort in Wiltshire, a subject Constable frequently painted while working near Salisbury. The work is characterized by a stormy background that reflects the expressive Romanticism of Constable’s later period, particularly his intense interest in skies and atmospheric effects, which he also explored in his oil paintings (Source 1). Constable’s approach to landscape was grounded in direct observation; he believed that 'painting is but another word for feeling' and sought to capture the specific light and weather conditions of the moment rather than relying on imagination or formula (Source 2, Source 3). His watercolors from this period, such as Stonehenge (1835), are noted for their remarkable freedom and expressive power, often conveying a sense of immediacy and emotional resonance through vigorous handling of the medium (Source 3).

estimated time

10-15 hours over 3-4 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
High-quality watercolor paper (cold-pressed, heavy weight)	To support wet-on-wet techniques and resist buckling during the application of stormy sky effects.	300gsm (140lb) cold-pressed cotton paper, e.g., Arches or Saunders Waterford.
Professional-grade watercolor paints	To achieve the transparency and vibrancy required for Constable’s expressive sky studies and landscape details.	Pan or tube watercolors with high pigment load (e.g., Winsor & Newton Cotman or Daniel Smith).
Soft bristle brushes (round and flat)	For applying broad washes for the sky and finer details for the foreground ruins.	Sable or synthetic round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 12) and a flat wash brush.
White gouache or opaque watercolor (optional)	Constable sometimes used opaque touches for highlights, particularly in cloud studies, though his watercolors are primarily transparent.	White gouache or opaque white watercolor.
Pencil (graphite or charcoal)	For initial underdrawing and compositional sketches.	HB or 2B graphite pencil.

preparation

surface prep

Constable’s watercolors were executed on paper, likely prepared with a light ground or left raw depending on the desired effect. For a recreation, stretch the paper to prevent buckling during wet washes. Constable’s practice involved direct observation and sketching from nature, so the surface should be ready for immediate application without extensive priming that would dull the paper’s tooth (Source 3, Source 4).

underdrawing

Constable emphasized sketching directly from nature, stating, 'When I sit down to make a sketch from nature, the first thing I try to do is to forget that I have ever seen a picture' (Source 3). The underdrawing should be loose and observational, capturing the essential forms of the Old Sarum ruins and the horizon line without rigid outlining. Use light pencil strokes to mark key structural elements and the placement of the stormy sky.

underpainting

In watercolor, the 'underpainting' is effectively the first layer of washes. Constable’s technique involved building up layers to convey light and atmosphere. Begin with a very light wash for the sky and distant hills to establish the tonal foundation. This aligns with his practice of using broken brushstrokes and scumbling to create the impression of sparkling light (Source 4).

color palette

Stormy Grey-Blue

Payne’s Gray, Ultramarine Blue, and a touch of Burnt Umber

The stormy background and sky, reflecting Constable’s interest in expressive atmospheric effects (Source 1).

Earthy Ochre/Brown

Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, and Raw Umber

The foreground ruins and landscape of Old Sarum, consistent with Constable’s earthy palette for Wiltshire scenes.

Bright White/Highlight

Reserved paper white or opaque white gouache

Highlights in the clouds and rain effects, capturing the 'sparkling light' Constable sought to convey (Source 4).

Green-Grey

Viridian, Yellow Ochre, and a touch of Blue

Distant vegetation and atmospheric perspective in the landscape.

composition

The composition features Old Sarum in Wiltshire, with a stormy background that dominates the upper portion of the painting, reflecting Constable’s focus on skies as 'the key note, the standard of scale, and the chief organ of sentiment' (Source 1, Source 4). The ruins are likely placed in the lower foreground or middle ground, grounding the dramatic sky. Constable’s compositional habit involved testing arrangements through full-scale preliminary sketches, so the layout should feel balanced yet dynamic, with the sky providing emotional weight (Source 3).

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and the basic forms of the Old Sarum ruins using a pencil. Keep lines loose and observational, avoiding rigid outlines.
Tip — Focus on the relationship between the ruins and the sky, ensuring the sky occupies a significant portion of the composition.
Direct observation sketching

first pass

step 02
Apply a light wash of grey-blue to the sky area, working wet-on-wet to create soft transitions. Allow some areas to remain lighter to suggest breaking clouds.
Tip — Work quickly to capture the fleeting effects of light and weather, as Constable believed 'no two days are alike' (Source 3).
Wet-on-wet wash

refining

step 03
Add darker tones to the sky to build up the stormy atmosphere. Use broken brushstrokes and scumbling techniques to create texture and movement in the clouds.
Tip — Avoid overworking the sky; maintain a sense of immediacy and expressiveness.
Broken brushstrokes and scumbling
step 04
Paint the foreground ruins with earthy ochres and browns. Use drier brushwork to suggest the texture of stone and earth.
Tip — Ensure the foreground anchors the composition and contrasts with the atmospheric sky.
Dry brush technique

finishing

step 05
Add final highlights to the clouds and ruins using reserved white paper or opaque white gouache. Enhance the contrast between light and dark areas to emphasize the stormy mood.
Tip — Step back frequently to assess the overall balance and emotional impact of the painting.
Highlighting and contrast enhancement

critical techniques

Broken Brushstrokes

Constable used small, broken touches of color to convey the effects of light and movement, creating an impression of sparkling light enveloping the landscape (Source 4).

Scumbling

He scumbled lighter passages over darker ones to create texture and atmospheric depth, particularly in the sky (Source 4).

Direct Observation

Constable insisted on painting from nature, forgetting previous pictures to capture the genuine production of art distinct from formula (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Overworking the sky: Constable’s skies are expressive but retain a sense of immediacy. Avoid muddy tones by keeping washes clean and layered.
→Rigid outlining: Constable rebelled against formulaic composition. Keep lines loose and suggestive rather than definitive.
→Ignoring atmospheric perspective: Ensure the sky and distant elements recede properly to create depth and mood.

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigment recipes used by Constable for Old Sarum are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and paper type of the original Old Sarum watercolor are not specified.
·Detailed step-by-step layering sequence for this specific painting is not provided, only general techniques.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Old Sarum (painting)↗
- Old Sarum (painting) — part 1 — applied to Context of the painting, stormy background, and Constable’s interest in skies.
Wikipedia bio — John Constable↗
- John Constable — part 1 — applied to Constable’s philosophy of painting as feeling and his connection to landscape.
- John Constable — part 8 — applied to Compositional principles, rejection of formula, and importance of direct observation.
- John Constable — part 9 — applied to Techniques of broken brushstrokes, scumbling, and sky studies.