plate no. 9125

Picherit's farm

Max Meldrum, 1910

oilTonalismlandscapebuildingtreeslandscapeskyfarmfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in tonal painting, focusing on subtle value shifts and creating atmospheric perspective. It's also good practice for capturing the essence of a scene rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the building, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the main areas of light and shadow with thin washes.
step 03
Start with the sky, blending the tones to create a soft, cloudy effect.
step 04
Develop the background trees, focusing on their mass and shape rather than individual leaves.
step 05
Work on the building, paying attention to the subtle value changes on the walls and roof.
step 06
Add the foreground foliage, using broken brushstrokes to suggest texture.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the form of the building and foliage.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · viridian · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing the primary colors with each other and adding small amounts of white or raw umber to adjust the value. Use viridian and burnt sienna to create a range of greens.

techniques