plate no. 1035

Poplars on the Edge of Vert

oil, canvasDivisionismlandscapetreeswaterlandscapepoplarsfoliageriver

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice applying broken color techniques to create texture and light.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the river.
step 02
Establish the background colors, using a mix of reds, oranges, and purples for the distant foliage.
step 03
Block in the main areas of green for the grass and foliage, varying the shades and tones.
step 04
Begin adding the vertical strokes for the poplar trees, using a mix of browns, greens, and yellows.
step 05
Create the river using blues, grays, and whites, reflecting the sky and surrounding foliage.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details, focusing on the broken color technique to create texture and light.
step 08
Add final touches and adjustments as needed.

color palette

primary · sap green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow

secondary · alizarin crimson · titanium white · yellow ochre

Achieve the various greens by mixing sap green with cadmium yellow or ultramarine blue. Create the warm tones by mixing burnt sienna with alizarin crimson and yellow ochre.

techniques