plate no. 7397

Path Behind Mowat Lodge

Tom Thomson, 1917

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapetreessnowforestpathwinterlandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to use broken color to create depth and texture and how to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It also provides practice in capturing the effects of light and shadow on snow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the path and the placement of the trees.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of color, starting with the darkest areas of the trees and shadows.
step 03
Apply the base color of the snow, leaving space for the shadows.
step 04
Add the blue and purple tones to the shadows in the snow, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Paint the tree trunks with varying shades of brown and red, using vertical strokes.
step 06
Add highlights to the trees and snow to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details of the foreground elements, such as the small branches and rocks.
step 08
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to achieve the desired effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · viridian green

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · raw umber

Mix blues and purples for the snow shadows. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for the tree trunks, adding touches of alizarin crimson for warmth. Mix greens and yellows for the foliage.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, which will flatten the image.
→Making the snow too white, which will lack depth.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the trees and shadows.
→Losing the sense of light and atmosphere.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints
·palette knife
·#4 round brush
·#6 flat brush
·#8 filbert brush
·linseed oil
·palette

optional

·painting medium
·easel
·rags
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the broken color effect. Consider using a limited palette of oil paints to simplify the color mixing process.

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