plate no. 9981
Port-au-Persil
Jean Paul Lemieux, 1952
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and using visible brushstrokes to add texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes: mountain, water, foreground hills, and fence.
- step 02
Block in the sky and water with light gray and blue tones.
- step 03
Establish the dark mass of the mountain, using a mix of blues, grays, and browns.
- step 04
Paint the foreground path with a light yellow-ochre.
- step 05
Add the dark green trees and bushes, varying the greens with browns and blues.
- step 06
Paint the white fence, paying attention to perspective.
- step 07
Add details like the tree on the right and the posts along the path.
- step 08
Refine the colors and values, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber
secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow light · payne's gray
Mix grays by combining white, blue, and a touch of umber. Achieve the mountain's color by blending blue, umber, and white. Create greens by mixing yellow and blue, adjusting with umber for darker shades.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Not establishing a clear value structure.
- →Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
- →Ignoring the perspective of the fence and path.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstroke visibility. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
