plate no. 8140
Olevano, La Serpentara
Camille Corot, 1827
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to simplify complex landscapes into basic shapes and values. It also provides practice in mixing earth tones and creating subtle gradations of color.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major landforms.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-gray wash, leaving a small area for the cloud.
- step 03
Establish the basic values of the distant mountains with a muted gray-purple.
- step 04
Paint the middle ground hills with a mix of browns, greens, and yellows, varying the values to create depth.
- step 05
Add the trees, focusing on their overall shapes and masses rather than individual leaves.
- step 06
Refine the foreground with darker values and more detail, suggesting texture and form.
- step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and value relationships to create a sense of unity.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to enhance the sense of realism.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue
secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna
Mix muted greens by combining yellow ochre, sap green, and a touch of raw umber. Create atmospheric perspective by adding white to colors for distant elements.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·blocking in
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·value studies
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of unity.
- →Making the colors too bright and saturated.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure.
- →Ignoring the effects of atmospheric perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·round brushes size 2, 4, and 6
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a limited palette to achieve color harmony. Consider using a toned canvas to simplify the initial blocking-in stage.
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