plate no. 6740

Pasture Through the Fog

Eyvind Earle, 1996

oilMagic Realismlandscapelandscapetreesmountainswaterfogfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and mastering smooth gradients for a dreamy, atmospheric effect. It also provides practice in precisely rendering detailed foliage and tree silhouettes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, water, and the large tree branch.
step 02
Lay in the base colors for the sky and water, blending smoothly to create the gradient effect.
step 03
Block in the dark masses of the mountains and foliage, paying attention to the overall shapes.
step 04
Add the lighter green areas representing the pasture, blending the edges to create a soft transition.
step 05
Begin layering the details of the trees and foliage, using darker colors for shadows and lighter colors for highlights.
step 06
Create the fog effect by layering thin washes of light blue and white over the mountains and water.
step 07
Add the details of the tree branch in the foreground, using black to create a strong silhouette.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Titanium white · Black · Sap green

secondary · Cadmium red · Yellow ochre · Violet

Mix various shades of blue and white for the sky and water. Use black and green to create the dark foliage, and mix red and yellow to create the warmer tones in the foliage. Mix white with blue and violet for the fog.

techniques