plate no. 4278

Pillars and Cloud

Roman Selsky, 1970

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapefencemountainscloudsfieldsabstract

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using bold, expressive brushstrokes to create texture and form. It also encourages experimentation with color and abstract representation.

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 fence posts, mountains, and cloud formation.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: blue for the sky, green for the fields, and brown for the foreground.
step 03
Add darker tones to define the mountains and create depth in the landscape.
step 04
Paint the fence posts with white, adding shadows and highlights to create form.
step 05
Mix and apply the colors for the cloud, blending them slightly to create a soft, diffused effect.
step 06
Add details such as the barbed wire and any other small elements in the scene.
step 07
Refine the brushstrokes and color variations to match the original painting's expressive style.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · sap green · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and browns by combining red, yellow, and blue. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. The sky is a mix of blues and white.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Over-blending the colors, which can flatten the image.
→Getting lost in details too early, before establishing the overall composition.
→Using too much paint, which can make the painting look muddy.
→Not capturing the expressive brushwork of the original.